Alter Quies
by Cynthia Evirruka
Summary: AU SC. A year later, with Jenova and Sephiroth returning once again, a new type of WEAPONs has began terrorizing the world, friends bringing uncertainty and suspicious. [Chapter 00, 01 and 02 reposted]
1. 00: searching what

A Final Fantasy VII: S/C FanFiction   
  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy 7 characters are the property of and copyrighted by their respective creator, Square-Enix, distributors, and legally associated parties. This fiction is used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only and is not meant for sale or profit. All original characters are the creation of the author.   
  
Warnings: AU (I think...), violence, language, YAOI.   
  
Summary: S/C. A year later, with Jenova and Sephiroth returning once again, a new type of WEAPONs has began terrorizing the world, familiar faces bringing uncertainty and suspicious. As Cloud struggles for truth, what reality he once had is now far away from his reach.   
  
Notes:   
/ .... / or // .... // = someone's dialogue  
( .... ) = Character's thoughts  
Italics = Flashbacks/other miscellaneous dialogue   
  
Posted: 10 September 2002   
Revised: 17 February 2004   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ALTER QUIES   
Chapter 00: searching what... (Re-Written)   
  
  
  
  
  
Nothing had changed at all.   
  
  
That year had been wasted, and he was thinking that, back then, he knew very little. He thought things changed a great deal. Yet, now that he realized, all in his whole life, they seemed to change very little.   
  
  
Constellations of those glaring stars had not changed too. Since that day, or perhaps even longer, they still stood high up in the sky, shining proudly as a star could be. That night where he had promised a certain girl that if she ever were in trouble, he would come and save her like a hero would. That night, under the millions of stars that shone so brightly, for the first time in his young days, finally he was talking with Tifa.   
  
  
He blinked, realizing he was fully awake from a dreamless sleep. The moaning came to the trees then, making them toss their heads and whisper around him a rush of sound he had never heard the forest make even in storm. Chill came with that wind. The feeling was nostalgic.   
  
  
He could hear Cid's drunken laughers again. 'That's a good one, spiky! We have traveled almost to the ends of the world!'   
  
  
Since Reeve was decided to be the new president, Cid was more than glad to be assisting him in developing better air machines, gaining him new responsibility as the Head of Air and Space Department. The last he heard, Cid was going to be a father... and it was a few weeks ago.   
  
  
Tifa was clearly very excited about it. She had a conversation with Shera through the phone for almost the whole day, but what they were talking, he did not want to know. She even planned to close her new bar, Final Heaven, locating at Kalm, packed her stuffs and had dragged Cloud along for Rocket Town.   
  
  
RedXIII came along when they were visiting Cosmo Canyon. Unfortunately, the red beast could not stay as long as the young pair could. He went back right after spending a few days. He supposed, as the new successor of the flaming land from Bugenhagen, must be very busy.   
  
  
Speaking of that, Mayor Barret could only congratulate the pair through the phone while he had himself busied with piles and piles of paper works and reconstructing North Corel. He mused; he did not know Barret was the type could work administration.   
  
  
Vincent sent them a card but not attempted to look for them. He chose to live in that waterfall's cave for the rest of his life, hopping no more of the world's business. Occasionally, he would call everyone about his welfare.   
  
  
As for Yuffie, that ninja brat... well, she had gone missing for months after Sephiroth's defeat. They had tried asking her father, Godo, but all he did was grinned at them and walked away. And what more surprising was, right after Tifa and he arrived Cid's house, a cute baby chocobo was found at their doorstep. From Yuffie, wishing them happy. One would think what and where on earth was Yuffie doing right now.   
  
  
Everyone... all except him, were moving on.   
  
  
Exactly what was he doing?   
  
  
Moments later, Cloud decided to get up. Still looking dazed, he raked through his blond hair and picked up his now glowing weapon before hitting the road. The road appeared and disappeared by turns in the dark. It seemed to meander aimlessly, but he had nowhere to go, except as his road led him; it seemed to have no reason for itself, but then, he had none, so that seemed apt.   
  
  
Every step he made, he could even hear Tifa, with a sad and soft tone, asking why he had to do this. What was his purpose of this trip and his destination? She asked would she even get to see him again. And to every question, she and himself asked, he would reply: I don't know.   
  
  
Why was he so keen on this uncertain expedition?   
  
  
Where was he heading?   
  
  
Questions that pounded on his head for the thousandth times continued to remain unanswered.   
  
  
And also, for the same thousand times, he easily deposed three Capparwires charging at his direction. Cloud watched, as the three dead bodies decomposed quickly into the earth -- probably returned to the Lifestream -- and wondered how strong had he become.   
  
  
Perhaps... a little too strong. Too strong to be normal again.   
  
  
Absentmindedly, he shrugged and resumed his road. There, again, the hollowness in him. The hollowness that stopped his time. That same hollowness stopped his drive to do anything. It made his life now seemed so dull and empty. It made him realized he was lacking of something, but of what thing, he did not know anymore.   
  
  
He was struck. In the middle of nowhere.   
  
  
Something was holding him back. He was lingering, waiting for... something... someone? At times, he would stop walking, looked back, had hoped to see if anyone had been behind him, that he could stop at his tracks and waited for them. And he would find no one. All of a sudden, he felt so frustrated and tired that he wanted to grab his head and screamed.   
  
  
He walked again... he let his feet took over, he let the road guided him. Tiny thread of hope stayed with him, he would have answers he needed at the end of it, that, whatever happened to him in this journey would serve him a purpose in life.   
  
  
His mind wandered. What happened to the soldiers after their war ended? What were they supposed to do if there were no more wars for them to fight? All in their life, they had been training and fighting, what use did they still have to survive in a world without war? If Sephiroth had succeeded in bringing down the meteor... if Sephiroth had succeeded defeating his oppositions, if the world had destroyed, what would the God be doing now?   
  
  
Where would a God go after he had fulfilled his prophecy?   
  
  
After a long night, Cloud finally saw some lights at the horizon. Slowly as dawn made its appearance, the blond could gradually make out the outlines of Fort Condor.   
  
  
Abruptly, he shook his head as if something had hit his head hard and continued his road. He was not hoping for another reconstruction of Sephiroth to appear and destroy the Planet again, was he? Hell, what was he thinking?   
  
  
( There goes my sanity.... )   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
The wind, meanwhile, was cold, and riffled the surface of the pond, blew at his skin and chilled to the bone. A wisp of something flew on the wind. It was ash, he thought at first as he looked up. But he saw another, and another.   
  
  
A voice. "Snow."   
  
  
He saw one snowflake land on his hand, and marveled at it, how delicate it was. Delicate and beautiful, and many, many of them would turn all the land white. They melted to nothing, but more kept falling. The woods made not a sound, and were lit with a strange but beautiful pale light that came from the moon. It was not Day. It was not Night.   
  
  
He made a step forward and found the ground soft. Everything was covered with snow, still and quiet content just as it was, and nothing bothered to break the placid hush that engulfed the frozen forest. Even now, the flakes of white perfection lazily floated down from the heavens. They danced and twirled gracefully in a downward spiral to join their brethren at the ground, silently going about their own unique little dance in the frozen air, undisturbed and ceaselessly gliding.   
  
  
It was not solitude. It was not cold. He felt rather peaceful and warmth.   
  
  
That quiet voice again. "This scenery... snow field. Unstrained, pure... the sky is not as gray as you think. It is always blue, be it day or night. Surrounded with no one, wrapped in heaven's arms, it is always watched with such quietness. Always... quietly. As if time do not care to exist here... and snow will always quietly fall."   
  
  
"Do you find it sad?" Cloud closed his eyes. "I thought it was gentle."   
  
  
"You used to say that to me. You were always saying how I was like the snow here, and you are the sky."   
  
  
"Did I?"   
  
  
"...Are you confused?"   
  
  
"Aren't you too?"   
  
  
A pause. "Yes, I was confused, but I thought about it and found my answer. No point dwelling in the past when I am living in the present."   
  
  
"It is easy for you to say."   
  
  
"No, it was never easy... you just have to let it go. Cloud, you are mistaken."   
  
  
Strong arms gently wrapped the blond from behind, drawing him as close to him as possible as if he might disappear again. Cloud let out a soft sigh and returned that embrace contently.   
  
  
He spoke quietly into the blond's ear. "You are wrong. Soldiers do not fight for wars; they fight for peace. They fight for their love ones, they fight to see the war end."   
  
  
"It... seems I have been fighting too much to remember what I was fighting for."   
  
  
"Too long...."   
  
  
"And now, it has ended." Cloud rested on his chest and looked up. "But I feel so restless."   
  
  
He chuckled. "Stupid... you are just not used to the peace. Give yourself some time, and soon you will be enjoying it."   
  
  
"What about you?"   
  
  
"Me? I still have to fight, it's not over yet." Somehow, the arms around him tightened. "For you, I will fight and make the war end."   
  
  
"What's not over yet? Isn't it over?"   
  
  
"'There' is not over."   
  
  
"Where?"   
  
  
"Hush," he said softly. He leaned down and rested his head on Cloud's shoulders. Silver strands of hair fell lightly onto the blond. "They do not matter to you anymore. I just want to be with you a little longer... Gods, I really missed you."   
  
  
Cloud wanted to say something, but stopped when something warm pressed on his lips. He immediately melted into the kiss. It felt strange, but at the same time, it felt so right. The way he held him... the way he kissed him... he did not want to live in a world without him, ever again. That thought scared him terribly and whenever he thought about it, his heart ached with so much pain that he rather die.   
  
  
He was his.   
  
  
"Cloud... promise me, you will never leave me again."   
  
  
No, it was never going to happen again.   
  
  
/ But... did it happen before? /   
  
  
Cloud's eyes shot up and looked around.   
  
  
"...Cloud?"   
  
  
No matter how hard he tried, he could not see his face. This person, this man, the one he loved so much... he could not remember his face. How was this possible, he was in love with a faceless person, an unknown person? No, he did know him. He loved him, he really did. He had loved the way he moved, he loved the way he fought with such destructive skills, he loved the way he looked with his cold eyes, he loved the way... he smiled only at him. He was...   
  
  
...Who?   
  
  
/ Do not wander too far, Cloud Strife. You do not belong here. /   
  
  
"Cloud?"   
  
  
Cloud widened his eyes in disbelief and moved away from the man. "You... w-who are you?"   
  
  
"Cloud...."   
  
  
"I don't remember you... I don't remember falling in love with you. _ Who_ the hell are you?"   
  
  
/ You will not remember because it did not happen. /   
  
  
The shoulders of the stranger slumped dejectedly. Cloud clutched at his chest as the pain in his heart intensified greatly when he saw that man wore a sad smile. Why did this stranger have such effects to him?   
  
  
"I... just wanted to see you again."   
  
  
"...W-why?"   
  
  
/ Fascinating young man, do you not think? I do not think he could call up my sister's power, cross the Link and bring you here. He created this place, do you know? Not intentionally, though. I doubt he knows who you really are. This is his memories, his emotions. The longer you stay, the longer you will be erased. His memories are replacing yours slowly. His emotions are overwhelming you slowly. /   
  
  
"Because...."   
  
  
/ But he is interfering the Orders, and it is not in the plan. If he continues, he will destroy our plan. My sister is already very weak. Now, you do not want that to happen, do you? He has not realized he is throwing the gift he always wanted away. Foolish boy. /   
  
  
"...I love you."   
  
  
If Cloud had knew what was going to happen, he wouldn't blink. When he opened his eyes, everything was gone. Completely. There was nothing here, no grounds, no skies, no particles, and no substances. This was just an empty void.   
  
  
He was not moving, but he could feel the void was moving itself.   
  
  
Moving further and further away from him. Again, the ache overwhelmed his body... but strangely, the pain seemed to be being lessened and lessened. After a few moments, he could almost feel the pain was entirely gone. He frowned. Did he just love a guy? A stranger who, now, had felt so disturbingly familiar?   
  
  
He remembered the conservation, but it hardly made any sense to him as he was back there. That kiss... Gods! He let that guy kissed him, and he had enjoyed it! A blush swept across his face immediately.   
  
  
/ Believe me, you are the best gift the two of them ever have. You do have advantages too. /   
  
  
"What?"   
  
  
/ For everything you had done to me, this is how I am going to repay you. This is my gratitude. Come, come and find me. This meeting shall be forgotten, but do not be afraid, I will guide you. /   
  
  
/ Gladly embrace them. For everything you had lost, my sister will return. /   
  
  
/ You are the Gift of Gift itself. /   
  
  
/ WAKE UP. /   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
The morning came and a certain young man exited the inn. He stretched and breathed deeply the fresh and cool air. The blond was surprisingly refreshing this morning... or dared he said, he seemed happy. He amused the idea inwardly. What had he done to feel like this?   
  
  
He shook his head: he had no idea. Last night was another dreamless sleep.   
  
  
After all, nothing had changed.   
  
  
  
END.Chapter00  
To Be Continued_   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I hope this time its' good. Looking back, I think all these crap are partly responsible for my two years of writer's block (2nd major part: please blame all the uncooperative people involving in Chapter 6: Scene ShinRa Building) (and I don't dare to say the 3rd one) and I kept asking myself: "How'd in the world will people be reading all this shit?!" Fortunately for me, THERE is really people reading this fic. I can't say how touched I am, for suffering with all my crap and still wanting to read more. *sniffs* SO! I started re-writing this prologue, chapter 1 & 2; the rest of the chappies will be just re-mending some sore eye parts, won't be as major as its ancestors. I really hope the re-written version is much better than the original version, not getting it worse....   
  
I think I have been reading too much fluffy fics; when I first wrote out this prologue draft I have no idea there will be such scenes and all I care is 'HOW SWEET' it will be. A week later, I read it again. The word 'disgustingly mussy' floats into my mind, and it still does to me now. -___-;; Sigh. Unfortunately the scene is firmly struck in this prologue and I have no heart to erase. At least, the plots get to reveal a little more of itself. Besides, the scene is an unexpected service to YAOI readers. ^_~   
  
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the re-written version. I will try my best to work hard on this fic (the large plot won't just let me off so easily... yes! AQ does has a plot). Those who are new to Alter Quies, hope you do comment about it, is it good or bad? Thank you very much~ 


	2. 01: truths in dreams

A Final Fantasy VII: S/C FanFiction   
  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy 7 characters are the property of and copyrighted by their respective creator, Square-Enix, distributors, and legally associated parties. This fiction is used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only and is not meant for sale or profit. All original characters are the creation of the author.   
  
Warnings: AU (I think...), violence, language, YAOI.   
  
Summary: S/C. A year later, with Jenova and Sephiroth returning once again, a new type of WEAPONs has began terrorizing the world, familiar faces bringing uncertainty and suspicious. As Cloud struggles for truth, what reality he once had is now far away from his reach.   
  
Notes:   
/ .... / or // .... // = someone's dialogue  
( .... ) = Character's thoughts  
Italics = Flashbacks/other miscellaneous dialogue   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ALTER QUIES  
Chapter 01: truths in dreams... (Re-Written)   
  
  
  
  
  
He woke up and sensed confusions, both inside and out.   
  
  
Before he could figure out anything, a faint sound caught his attention. In front of him, a small orange-colored ball pounced towards him slowly... and he did not wait long before the ball came to a slow stop at his feet. He reached down and picked the ball up.   
  
  
"Thank you, Sir."   
  
  
The little girl appeared from nowhere, stood beside him. She lifted her head up and smiled innocently. She was dressed in a pure white dress with tiny little green flowers printed randomly on the leftward tip of her skirt; her unusual shiny black hair rested slightly beyond her small shoulder and a pair of dark-colored eyes seemed to know something he did not. However, Cloud merely shrugged and returned the ball to her.   
  
  
She beamed delightfully at the touch of her favorite ball, and asked politely, "Sir, are you lost?"   
  
  
"... Maybe. You? Where are your parents?"   
  
  
"I'm not lost, and my parents are somewhere out there." She claimed, "My name is Gaea! What's yours?"   
  
  
"Cloud," the blond smiled. "Gaea, do you know the way out here?"   
  
  
"Hmm? Everywhere is."   
  
  
Cloud blinked slowly and started looking around his surroundings... there was nothing but a pitch of blackness. When he looked behind, Gaea dragged his hand down, tearing the ex-SOLDIER's glaze to the little girl. Slightly surprised by her strength, he questioned.   
  
  
"Don't ever try going back; it's never your way. Whatever ways you have walked, you had. May it be easy or tough, short or long, please determine your way that has set several before you."   
  
  
"What are you...."   
  
  
"Look..." she pointed. "You have chosen."   
  
  
It swallowed him immediately as a surge of light overwhelmed the whole room, nearly blinding as he shielded away with his hands.   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
"Cloud?"   
  
  
"...Gaea?"   
  
  
Priscilla chuckled and dragged out of his... her bed. "No! I'm not Gaea; it's Priscilla! I have been calling you for an hour, sleepy head! Comeeee on! Grandpa is waiting for us."   
  
  
"Hmm... Priscilla, where are we going?" muttered Cloud who was still struggling with his sluggish state.   
  
  
She beamed. "We're going shopping! Since you are leaving this afternoon, grandpa and I decided to spend the whole morning with you in Junon Town."   
  
  
"That's good," Cloud yawned. "But I've seen the new town last night... so, can't I...."   
  
  
"No, and you're going now." The little girl pouted and dragged him to the bathroom. "You'd better be out in ten minutes, or else I'm not letting you broad the ship."   
  
  
Cloud grumbled slightly as he entered the bathroom, washing his face. He was not a morning person; he had difficulties waking up in the morning and poor Tifa had learnt it the hard way. Of course, he had thrown things, but for a martial artist like her, all was too easy to dodge. What she had not encountered for was, he had summoned the Lightning God out and nearly struck their house down before continued his sleep. From that day onward, she decided to stop making him breakfast. Cloud had to muse; for a strong woman like her, she had given up trying to make him a morning person.   
  
  
Except this time he could not throw something at Priscilla.   
  
  
Fully awake, he wiped his face clean and sighed before heading out of the house. He glared at the morning sun and the happily chipping birds, and was greeted by a certain excited pair below.   
  
  
"Cloud, hurry up! We're already late!"   
  
  
He sighed, (I swear both of them ARE those morning people) and hurried down the stairs to join the pair. He had ate little of his breakfast... well, his first breakfast in six months, and was certainly amazed with the amount the little girl had. She ate nearly the size of Barret had, or perhaps even more. Her grandpa was equally alike. He could see the grandfather and daughter enjoyed breakfast very much but why breakfast, he did not know.   
  
  
Then they went to replenish his potions and all other miscellaneous stuffs needed in the journey. Priscilla wanted to buy him some materias, but he refused. The rest of the morning gone very slowly for Cloud, mostly suffered while accompanied the girl in her shopping. Her grandpa made the wisest choice when he lied he was tired. Cloud snorted inwardly.   
  
  
All girls and women alike had an abnormal stamina whenever it came to shopping. Cid and Barret would completely agree with him, but out of them, Barret would consider himself the most fortunate. Marlene was mature and intelligent for her age. She understood very well that her father was much busy with his new work and she would refrain herself from overdoing.   
  
  
"Cloud, you... wear earrings?"   
  
  
Cloud blinked, and looked down at the girl. "One, though. I had it while I was serving ShinRa."   
  
  
"Ohhhh." Priscilla's eyes awe as she stared at his silver pearly earring. Then she grinned. "Cloud, you wait here!"   
  
  
"Wha...? Wait! Priscilla!" It was too late; she was gone in the crowd before he could follow. He heaved a tired sigh and leaned against a wall. She was unpredictable as the weather, and what was about him having a hole in his ear? He admitted, he did not remember the reason why he had done it back then. He guessed he had followed the trend.   
  
  
As quickly as she went, she came back after a few moments. "Hello, I'm back!" exclaimed a cheerful voice, but he could hear some panting from the running. She was quite fast for her age, though. Cloud scowled at her.   
  
  
Priscilla laughed, and cocked her eyebrow mischievously. "Say... were you worried about me?"   
  
  
Cloud could only shake his head exasperatedly. "No, I'm worrying for your grandfather."   
  
  
Priscilla pouted and placed both hands on her hips. She reminded very much of Tifa when she did that. He noticed she had something in the hand as she did that. Cloud patted on her head gently and grinned. "So, what have you got there?"   
  
  
Her eyes lightened up and exclaimed excitedly. "This!"   
  
  
The ex-SOLDIER blinked as she revealed a small packet. It contained a pair of black earrings; it was a ring type, unlike his silver pearl-like. It looked better than the one he currently had. "You mean this is for me?"   
  
  
"Yup!" She pushed the packet into his hand. "Cloud, I want to see you wearing it!"   
  
  
"But...."   
  
  
The little girl smiled. "Please take it. It's a gift."   
  
  
Cloud thought for a while, with a little push from her, then he nodded and put on the new earring. He had to admit, as he looked at his reflection from the glass window of a nearby shop, this black earring suited him very well. He had never given his earring a second thought; he bought the old one cheaply from the wall market, much to his guiltiness. After all, why would a man give so much about an earring?   
  
  
"Cloud, you look really nice in that!" squeaked Priscilla, her face colored slightly.   
  
  
He stared at the other pair and asked, "What about this one? I'm not going to piece another of my ear."   
  
  
She shook her head. "You can keep it... or give it to someone special."   
  
  
He blinked. ( Someone special? Who? ) He thought of giving it to Tifa, but she probably would not like it. She had plenty that were a lot nicer, in women's point of view, than this simple earring, besides it was not even a complete pair. Yuffie? ( Yeah right, and where the hell is she? ) The blond then decided to keep it for a while.   
  
  
"Then..." the tanned girl said shyly. "If you are going to throw away your old one... can I have it instead?"   
  
  
"I don't see why not. Here, but you'd better cleanse it." Cloud laughed embarrassingly. "Its quite dirty."   
  
  
"No problem!"   
  
  
"...And Priscilla?"   
  
  
"Yeah?"   
  
  
"Thanks."   
  
  
Priscilla looked up at him, blushing. "Really... no problem."   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
It was raining.... No, it was the sounds of the water.   
  
  
... It was the ocean. It was just another dream.   
  
  
Boundless blue sky and sea stretched as far as his eyes could see, gentle wind brushed through him, accompanying with the sounds of that mild waves washing the shore. He had seen this scene many times; he had once lived near the ocean. Every night, he would go out of his house secretly, sometimes strolling along the shore, carefully not to wake creatures of the night, sometimes watching the shinning stars. He would goes in the day, but he did not want to make his mother upset any further than she was.   
  
  
However, any thing he did, it always upset her. He did not understand.   
  
  
He looked around, then to his feet and found himself standing on the ocean. It caused ripples to the surface as he shifted. He lowered himself and held out his hand to touch the sea. Strangely, as it seemed, he could feel the cool water and could sink his hand through. He pondered whether to let his body fall or not; to test was it only his feet.   
  
  
On second thought, he thought not.   
  
  
"That hair...." Came a familiar sinister chuckle from his back, "Yes... how can I forget. It's that failure from Nibelheim, are you not?"   
  
  
( Hojo?! )   
  
  
"Muwahahaa... I see you have gained some... excellence talents. After all, you did defeat my masterpiece."   
  
  
( W... Why is he here?! )   
  
  
"Have you inherit his strength? My son did make you strong, did he not?"   
  
  
( WHAT THE HELL YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT??!!! )   
  
  
Hojo snickered, "Maybe... you are not quite a failure, after all. You have proven yourself to be... useful quite a numerous times. Do you want a... number?"   
  
  
"I d-don't want!"   
  
  
"'Don't want'? Are you sure you do not want it?" giggled the mad scientist. "You were begging for it the last time."   
  
  
Cloud lowered his head. "I just don't want to be a failure...."   
  
  
"But you are."   
  
  
"No, I am not!" Cloud snapped. "You are the last person to determine whether I'm useful or not! And the last person I want to be useful to you!"   
  
  
He giggled again and hugged himself. "My, my. You've grown, but she did not think so."   
  
  
Cloud widened his eyes as he recognized her immediately. It was impossible to forget her, no matter how much she had seemed to age. He knew she was still young, but she had always looked older than she really was. She walked toward to him, but came to a stop beside the swaying scientist. It hurt him deeply when she gave him a disgusted look. "You again. What have you done this time?"   
  
  
"I-I did not...." he stammered.   
  
  
"Hn. Don't bother explaining to me, all you did were always wrong anyway. Such a problematic child."   
  
  
"But everything I did was wrong to you!" Cloud cried. "Tell me what to do?!"   
  
  
"Nothing." With that, she turned away. "I want nothing from you. You can go with this crazy guy, I don't care."   
  
  
"What?!"   
  
  
Hojo laughed and bowed. "Thank you, my lady. You are most kind."   
  
  
"Your existence is completely a nuisance to my life, Cloud." She turned to Hojo before walked away. "I doubt he will be much useful to you anyway."   
  
  
"Well, he didn't the last time." He shook his head mockingly, "But I will make him useful this time."   
  
  
"Go to hell, Hojo!" Cloud scowled at him, then turned to her, trying to stop her. "Wait! Don't go!"   
  
  
"Forget it, Cloud. I'm already gone." She kept walking away, ignoring his pleas.   
  
  
"Is it because I looked exactly like him?!" he shouted desperately.   
  
  
She stopped.   
  
  
The blond swallowed hard. "...That you were always like this to me? Is it?"   
  
  
She turned around and sneered at him. "Of course it is! You are the only reason I hate my life so much, you make my life so fuck up! If it is not for you, I'd be better off somewhere else! Do you wonder why you are so weak? Do you wonder why those cuts never heal? Do you think those lies are true? You are more fool than I think, Strife!"   
  
  
Cloud could only stare at her, disoriented.   
  
  
She hissed. "But you! You came back when my life was finally getting better, with that face of yours! No cuts! No bruises! Ha! Your body is well figured, you have fine-looking features and you cut your hair! You looked exactly like him! EXACTLY! Do you hate me so much that you rebelled me with all these? You shouldn't return at all. Why had you returned anyway? Can't you just stay where you are?"   
  
  
The blond could only shake his head softly. "I do not hate you... I could never bring myself to hate you. Never."   
  
  
She snorted, "Too bad. I hate you."   
  
  
Cloud closed his eyes and whispered sadly. "I know... I just hope... at least, maybe you could...."   
  
  
"_That's impossible._"   
  
  
The world receded into darkness, leaving him standing on the empty void.   
  
  
He looked at Gaea. She was not that little girl he had last seen. She was a young teenager (kind of around Yuffie's age), had an extreme long, dark hair that nearly touched the ground... or was there a ground below them? She wore a Kimono that had the same white and green patterns, Wutai's traditional wearing. He remembered Yuffie mentioning to the group when they visited her country. Her eyes... they were still as dark as a black pearl was, yet they spoke so ancient.   
  
  
Yes, now he realized, she felt ancient. Very, very much ancient than anyone he knew, even Bugenhagen.   
  
  
Even her voice, she spoke with deep hidden knowledge and wisdom. "It is not possible for her to love you anymore. She could not bring herself to love anyone, not even herself... or else, she would break."   
  
  
"Of me?"   
  
  
"Hey, young man! You'll need a Lunar harp to cross the forest... h-hey! Are you listening to me?"   
  
  
"...Nay, he don't need. He already got one. See, the forest is awake."   
  
  
"Junke, you know that guy?"   
  
  
"Not really, just an ordinary customer. He came here with a group friends, a year ago, found the Lunar Harp, entered the Sleeping Forest and never came out."   
  
  
"Huh? Never came out? He's staying there?"   
  
  
"Don't know...."   
  
  
Gaea closed her eyes. "Of the man she loved more than anything."   
  
  
"Who is he? Can you tell me?"   
  
  
She shook her head. "A child who does not know what love is. A child who yet knows what hate is. A child who still hopes when there is no hope for him to place. A child who fears non-existence so much that he will do anything to get away from that fear."   
  
  
Cloud remained silent.   
  
  
"Tell me, why does one dwell in a dark past when the present and the future are so much brighter?"   
  
  
Silence.   
  
  
The dark teenager placed herself in front of Cloud, piecing her black eyes at him as if trying to read his mind. He tried to look away, but he could not as she held his head firmly. "Don't look away, Cloud Strife."   
  
  
"I...."   
  
  
Gaea then removed her hands and placed them to his chest, to his heart. "All you lacked of is confidence. Please believe in yourself, you are not as ugly as you think. People may not know you, they may not recognize you, but they appreciate what you have done. I am impressed and appreciated for everything you have done. So, don't think that low of yourself."   
  
  
"Why are you telling me all this?" Cloud asked quietly.   
  
  
"Because from now onwards, no one are going to be there to help you, to look after your back. You may face solitude once more again and you are going to need all you have."   
  
  
"What's happening?"   
  
  
"It seems the darkness in the heart is still holding you strong; you have passed only half the tests and failed yet the most important one."   
  
  
"You mean Hojo and...."   
  
  
Gaea nodded grimly. "Yes, they represented your fears. What you fear of will be your greatest weakness. You might fall because of this weakness, you might break because of this weakness, and you might even not find your way out because of it." Her eyes softened and she smiled. "You will find someone that will mend your weakness. Someone who will help you get through. Someone who is as weak as you are. They needed you."   
  
  
"Who...?"   
  
  
She continued to smile. Then, she did the most unexpected thing. Cloud felt his eyes widened as Gaea tipped her feet up and covered his eyes. He did not remove her hands; he had felt as though she could be trusted. At the same time, she felt disturbing familiar. It seemed to him that he had known her for a very long, long time.   
  
  
"Who... are you?"   
  
  
And she answered. "I'm Aeris."   
  
  
The blond shot his eyes up and found himself staring at the smiling Aeris. His eyes, as he realized, was not covered anymore and his surroundings... he was standing in a quiet forest. It was the Sleeping Forest. He noticed, besides Aeris, there was two more presence in the forest. Immediately he recognized the two figures that stood behind her.   
  
  
"Zack... and Sephiroth." He stated, firmly.   
  
  
Sephiroth merely nodded, while Zack immediately grinned and leaned his hands across Cloud's shoulders heavily. "Buddy! It's good to see ya again!"   
  
  
Cloud was too stunned to reply something.   
  
  
"Hmm? Why you're not saying anything?"   
  
  
Sephiroth sighed and said quietly, "Zack, anyone in his position would be too shock to say anything."   
  
  
Zack frowned and pouted. "Well, your meeting with him wasn't a very good one either."   
  
  
"Hn."   
  
  
"Seph! Say something about that meeting!"   
  
  
"...."   
  
  
"Seph!"   
  
  
Zack grumbled and left the confused Cloud behind with Aeris. Both generals bickering to no ends, making the whole scene looked completely comical, and Cloud's face was hilarious. Aeris could only shake her head, she appeared amused as if she was used to the scene.   
  
  
"Cloud, just don't mind them too much." She laughed, "Or else, you will be contaminated with their virus."   
  
  
"Aeris! I heard that." Zack's voice.   
  
  
Cloud shook his head frantically and drawing everyone's attention to him. He cried, "Wait a minute! What is going on here!? Is this the Lifestream?"   
  
  
Both Zack and Aeris exchanged looks before laughing. "Cloud! Are you still dreaming? Don't you recognize us?"   
  
  
"This is not what I mean! I mean, why are you all acting like he had done nothing wrong?!" He pointed to the silver-haired man standing in the background.   
  
  
"Because...." Zack and Aeris said together, smiling. "We will be your future."   
  
  
The blond stared at them. Then, hesitantly, to Sephiroth. He was as usual, hard to see what he was thinking right now. However, he was staring, somewhat, intensively at the blond....   
  
  
/ This will be your last dream. Come, you are at your last step; come and accept my gratitude. /   
  
  
It was Gaea's voice.   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
Cloud awoke. He had somehow expected to be by the lake of the shell house, otherwise known as the Entrance to the Ancient City. Where the death of a flower girl happened there; where Aeris's body rested beneath deep down the lake. A year had passed, he had gotten over her death since then and he cared more or less. She was a good friend to him, and he figured she would be happier with her own kind.   
  
  
In the beginning, the whole group would return and visit the city. Sometimes to tell her what had they been doing and about their welfare, and some other times, they would just walk through the city, talking to themselves about stuffs, meaningless stuffs and miscellaneous stuffs. They were always at ease, though monsters were still roaming and ambushing around.   
  
  
However, this time disturbed him greatly. He was called forth.   
  
  
Gaea had taken so much effort to bring him here while she had his subconscious in those dreams. She tested him, warned him... of what, he was unsure. That was why he was here, was he not? He was sure; she was just beyond the entrance, probably waiting for his arrival.   
  
  
He understood all along that his aimless journey was all for this day, for him to be here. Dreamless dreams and disturbing dreams alike -- though part of him believed it was not completely dreamless -- were her ways to communicate and bring him here.   
  
  
Cloud stepped into the shell-like house and found the door was already open. He frowned and headed forward anyway.   
  
  
( Hn. Fine, I am here Gaea, and I will see why you are so desperately in need of me here. )   
  
  
As he walked down the long stair, the same beautiful scenery of the city greeted him. Nevertheless, he kept his mind concentrated on other things; beauty scenery would come rather later. He allowed his legs to guide the way instead, since he was called upon and it would lead him directly to Gaea. Buildings after buildings, stairs after stairs, he gradually realized where he was heading. Gaea actually wanted him to come to the place where Sephiroth's sword pierced through Aeris's heart.   
  
  
He did not find an image of that flower girl, instead he saw a strangely beautiful entity suspended over the ground. She had wore another similar to the previous Kimono, except this time, it was completely silky black and they were stained with golden small curious patterns. What made it different was her whole dress and the golden silky ribbons that tied the Kimono alike together were dragged very long, long enough that it had to lay on the ground and seemed to create large ripples on that mess of expensive silky materials.   
  
  
He was not able to see her face, her head was lowered and her black hair... were longer, very much longer than he had remembered in the dreams. Even though her hair had tied and braided, it still drew long and touched the ground, disappearing somewhere in her sea of clothes.   
  
  
He realized he had seen three different versions of Gaea. The innocent and enigma young child, the teen of both serious and wise, and this adult filled with confidence and great power: Ancient power.   
  
  
Cloud was staring with awed, before finding his voice again. "Are... you Gaea?"   
  
  
/ "Gaea" was given by my parents, but your kinds called me otherwise. Be honor, you are the first Human to know my true name. Yes, I am Gaea, one and only Gaea. /   
  
  
"What are you? Are you an alien or something like that?"   
  
  
Came a soft chuckle. / That, I cannot tell. You will have to figure out yourself.... I have the tendency of being mysterious. Anyway, you heard my call... and arrived quite late. /   
  
  
Cloud snorted, unintentionally; but meant no disrespect of her. "Your call was quite indirect, and besides I do believe you have some of the dream eased, am I right? Some dreams are not entirely empty."   
  
  
/ Correct, but I have my reasons. Someone, besides me, has searched for you and has tried to pull you along. It is not exactly the right time to call you, and he is interrupting our plan. He accidentally found our channel and by chance used that channel to connect you. /   
  
  
"Who is he?"   
  
  
/ I have no right to tell you. /   
  
  
Cloud frowned. "Alright... then, what do you want of me?"   
  
  
/ ...We need your help, Cloud Strife. My sister is suffering... our enemy has became too strong for her to reverse the process. / Gaea paused before snorted. Cloud cocked an eyebrow at that. / I did warn of her too naïve methods, but she continued to proceed them. And look at what she had landed us in? Obstinate, she is being difficult for both of us. /   
  
  
Cloud blinked. "You don't... seem to be very close to her?"   
  
  
/ Of course not. If any chances, I will be the last one to be associated with her. She is too compassionate and virtuous, while I enjoy being ruthless and deception. The devil's company if you get what I mean. If not for the cursed Link, who cares about her survival. /   
  
  
"I guess I don't understand that very well...."   
  
  
/ Never mind. I need you to help her to neutralize the threat, her darkness is overflowing and her selected forces are not helping much. /   
  
  
"Okay..." Cloud said slowly, "I'm going to help your sister against this whatever enemy, and I assumed I am going somewhere?"   
  
  
/ Absolutely correct. /   
  
  
"And where is this place?"   
  
  
/ If you are thinking somewhere nearby -- I think you are -- well, sorry Cloud Strife, you are somewhere further than you can imagine. So far that, no one will recognize you, or you will not recognize anyone you know. A place where Humans have not known its very existence. /   
  
  
"What?!" starlted Cloud. "Where the hell is this place?!"   
  
  
/ You will know soon. /   
  
  
The mercenary tensed slightly. He was beginning to suspect her, though in the first he did not know why he had trusted her so much, other than her name and her purpose, he knew nothing of her. In the conversation, she revealed she was very arrogant, as if she was a lord or something. Certainly, she loved the dark side. She was not even human... in fact, she could be Jenova herself.   
  
  
He glared at her, shifting slightly to position and trying not to reveal of his suspicious.   
  
  
Gaea turned her head at him, as if sensing some changes. After pondering over the situation, she mused. / Aren't we getting touchy here? Well, excuse me for my attitude, I most definitely do not wish to lose the trust we have for now. Hmm... I think I should be able to mess up with the current memories, do you not think it will be fun? /   
  
  
Cloud challenged, not trying to cover his suspicious. "I don't trust you, Gaea. I don't even know what you are."   
  
  
/ You are worry about your friends, you are worry about an invasion of the Lifestream, then rest assured. They will be the least worries in your mind... no, I take that back. They will be among your worries, though it is not what you think it will be. / Gaea slowly lifted her head and opened her dark eyes for the first time. Her beauty was stunning beyond description. / Besides... / She saw confusion and smirked.   
  
  
/ You are not in the position to defy me, _Cloud Strife_. /   
  
  
Before even Cloud could react, Gaea raised her hands in the air and chanted melodically of a language he did not understand. Greenish energy -- which to his horror, it was Lifestream -- radiated around her as she concentrated. Words and lines soon came to life and began inscribing on the floor where Cloud stood. Lines drew lines, allowing the flow of energy, which strengthened the words to words.   
  
  
A sudden bust of light surged everywhere as the huge circle of symbols was completed, building an unfathomable length pillar of Lifestream to the sky. While he was standing in the middle of the spell, he could feel himself being lifted off the ground weightlessly, floating upwards just as though there was a black hole above.   
  
  
"G...Gaea?! What are you doing?!" shouted Cloud.   
  
  
/ Portal Completion.... / Gaea snickered, / You probably have forgotten, but I will say this once more. For everything you have done to me, this is how I am going to repay you. Gladly embrace my gratitude. For everything you have lost from me, you shall reclaim them from my other half. /   
  
  
/ Because you are our Gift of Gift itself. /   
  
  
Cloud widened his eyes in much shock as he felt himself sucked away and into a twirling and twisting light tunnel. A never-ending passage.   
  
  
A way to unknown... of no returns.   
  
  
/ When you meet her, greet her for me. /   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **  
** ***** **  
  
  
  
His thoughts were slowly interrupted as reality once more made itself known, and for a moment he was confused. At first he could make out a new sound, a high pitched shrieking that made itself known even above the noise of the storm and the waves. It was accompanied by a blazing red light, one that washed over his closed eyes, uncertain if he was hallucinating when he opened them again. After a moment of disorientation, he comprehended that both the sound and the light were coming from the sky.   
  
  
Something was going wrong. Terribly wrong, and it did not have to take a wise man to figure it out.   
  
  
He stared in idle curiosity as the storm raged on, the gray sky above him turned icy violets and to fiery red as something punched through. Finally, it broke through the under layer of cloud, the sound of its fall then turned into a loud roar. He could barely make out the core of light from amidst of the massive fiery umbra and tail.   
  
  
The entire world as abruptly as it was immediately, covered with gentle waves of glowing Lifestream. He reached out to feel and was slightly surprised to find them lifeless. Whatever it had done, it was already used. It was empty. Feeling both relief and dread, he glared at the source of this strange happening.   
  
  
As the light started fading, which seemed a little bit too fast, the used Lifestream slowly melted into the earth and gladly accepted by the Planet. Everything was once again back to normal, and darkness resumed to its place like any of this had ever happened. Even the clouds seemed to clear and the stars of the night were unusually bright and shinning.   
  
  
He had no idea what was happening. With all the recent incidents, he did not trust miracles anymore. No, since the past year, miracles did not exist for him. Gods hated his life. Part of him thought it was the work of their enemy. Another part of him, however begged differs and hopes.   
  
  
He really hoped they were not too late. Their enemy already seemed to have the upper hand.   
  
  
Moreover, what was that light purpose really was, it must have meant something and he was determined to find out. He narrowed his glowing eyes at the vanished light.   
  
  
The Northern Continent: The beginning and ending of everything.   
  
  
Except things had not yet ended like it should have been.   
  
  
What worse could he get?   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
Somewhere in a sleepy town, a figure suddenly jerked up in the middle of the night, feeling a familiar rush running through her body. She was just in time to witness a bright flash of light outside her window. She rubbed her eyes and wondered if she was dreaming, but her blood and soul were screaming for her attention. Her face slowly turned horror; no matter how much she had asked and begged, she received no answers. A heavy silence filled her mind and she feared for the Planet.   
  
  
No longer, she could understand the Planet and could not sleep anymore, in that dreadful night.   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
In a place where knowledge was rich, the designated giant machine started activating itself and recorded down the sudden phenomenon that ever happened the first time on the Planet into its own memory. The computer searched and looked at every possible aspect, registering changes and factors that were both related or not related.   
  
  
As intelligent the device was, it did not solve the mystery though.   
  
  
  
END.Chapter01  
To Be Continued_  



	3. 02: opening all things

A Final Fantasy VII: S/C FanFiction   
  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy 7 characters are the property of and copyrighted by their respective creator, Square-Enix, distributors, and legally associated parties. This fiction is used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only and is not meant for sale or profit. All original characters are the creation of the author.   
  
Warnings: AU (I think...), violence, language, YAOI.   
  
Summary: S/C. A year later, with Jenova and Sephiroth returning once again, a new type of WEAPONs has began terrorizing the world, familiar faces bringing uncertainty and suspicious. As Cloud struggles for truth, what reality he once had is now far away from his reach.   
  
Notes:   
/ .... / or // .... // = someone's dialogue  
( .... ) = Character's thoughts  
Italics = Flashbacks/other miscellaneous dialogue   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
ALTER QUIES  
Chapter 02: opening all things... (Re-Written)   
  
  
  
  
  
Someone dark and sinister knew and hated. She sneered and screamed, throwing fits of her power and rage. Everything had went accordingly to plan, in fact the results had been quite promising, but THAT was unexpected! Who would know her weak prisoner had decided to fight back and turn the tables around like that? Who had knew she still had such back-up plan in her mind?   
  
  
After all, the profound mysteries and the Orders of the Universes were not one to unravel and understand easily.   
  
  
She growled before calming herself down. The outcome was still undecided: her enemy had not completely won the battle, and victory goddess was still facing her. She, nevertheless, had her advantages. She knew the truth while her enemies were, however, in the dark.   
  
  
Besides... her army was waiting for her commands. She did not think she would be using the troops against those weaklings, but it seemed she would have to now. Most likely, the new guest would join the oppositions....   
  
  
"Well..." she sat down and revealed an evil smile. "I can always get our new guest before they get him.... The promised revenge will come, and I will not allow anyone, anybody to stop me."   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
In the beginning, there was nothing. Completely nothing; not even light or dark, not even time or space. Then, Existence called. A flash of light from an unknown source split his vision and exploded, eventually millions of smaller explosions began to blow from within at an incredible rate of speed. As if these now-active existences had been denial for so long that it had overloaded with freedom, overwhelmed with another form of eternity and that they became the everything. Definition was born.   
  
  
He watched the soundless universe grew, slowly fulfilling the emptiness and coming to life. If he were to observe closer, he could see layers of mirror upon layers of mirror, stretching deep below him and hanging high above all, creating an illusionary extension of the Universe. There was no different if he had looked up or down, it would look the same. They were mirrors after all, and it made the Universe looked endless.   
  
  
As he stood on this particular mirror, he began to dream. Dreams were known to be strange, and this time it was no different. It just that, his dreams were way beyond his comprehension; these dreams could be fresh in his mind as time passed and he would still find no words to describe. They neither were good dreams, nor were bad ones. They looked rather like flashes of memories... no, not his... someone's memories.   
  
  
For a pause of moment, he wondered... how could one dreams of someone's memories?   
  
  
Long had he given up figuring what his dreams meant; they were too much for him to understand, too fast for him to grasp. His dreams were like ocean; after seeing so much, he realized he had only covered not even half of the ocean's surface, underneath to its deepest depths it would only get bigger and bigger. When he thought he had the waters, they slipped away without him knowing.   
  
  
After a long time, the dreams changed, and slowly he finally started to understand what some of them meant. However, with that, he also realized something had gone wrong. The dreams were becoming increasingly intense and violent. It looked as if the dreams were infected with some sort of virus; they kept distorting with dark spots and voices, and overlapping with other dreams while occasionally, they skewed wildly and sped everything even faster.   
  
  
As the excitement continued, he could gasp several--   
  
  
  
  
--Someone dear to him was dead. His heart was weeping as he felt it crushing down completely to the fact he was the one that held the weapon. It was his own responsibility to do so; it was everyone's hope to do so; it was HIS wish to see everything put to an end in his own hands.   
  
  


**"...I am aware of the project since I was ten, and when I immediately realized he might be involved, I knew I have to do something. I will do anything to ensure his safety... anything."**

  
  
  
There seemed to be a different sort of aura around that new solider. It was not about excitement or nervousness; he could sense a great deal of blazing flame burning on that bitter ice. He was loud, confident, one to be the first to be ready, yet at the same time he was also reserved and cold. In any sense, he was similar to him as well as different to him. He gave another glance before walking out of the ballroom, deciding he would keep an extra eye on that recruit once the training commenced.   
  
  


**"I'm sorry for everything I did. I don't expect anyone --not even you-- to forgive me, and all I wanted to say is that I don't regret making that choice that had led to so many sinful events. For you, is all that matter. It's alright, because I love you too much to see your death. I am really selfish, am I?"**

  
  
  
_ / ...You really... to... this? /   
  
// Ye... //   
  
/ Fine. If things... wrong, don't expect me... come... 'rescue' you. You know... period... most important moment... us... so don't you dare to.... /   
  
// ...will... out fine; trust me. //   
  
/ You and... stupidity. /_   
  
  


**"I don't want to talk about her. I hate her. She's just a woman who just happened to bore me."**

  
  
  
He blinked. He couldn't believe what the papers had written! He had made it! The results came out to be more satisfactory than he thought he would be, and there it stated that the next screening would be the coming month. His surroundings immediately went ignored as he rushed out of the place to a particular dormitory where people he really cared about were there. Once he was there, his excitement of announcing the good news had made him missed an extra presence in the room, a presence of long brown hair and warmth greenish eyes.   
  
  


**"He's not worth your highness's time. He don't even know your existence all these years, and in the end, all your efforts will gone to waste. What's better to control a willingness to an unwillingness?"**

  
  
  
_ / Don't die before me, you hear? /   
  
// See you after the Test. //_   
  
  
She knew what had hit her, but she never knew it would be... so painful. Was this death? Vaguely in her mind, the planet knowledge her prayers, the last hope for mankind was shinning. As she saw the last of her consciousness slowly slipping away, a tiny part of her felt sad. It meant she would miss her mother very much, she would not be able to be with her friends again, she would not be able to tell him how she felt about him. However, at least... she knew everyone would be safe....  
  
  


**"It's alright, you know? I... I want you. I don't know why, but I don't want you to leave. I told you I didn't know why I did the things I did, either. You don't have to understand everything. There's no instruction manual. If you want to be with someone, sometimes the only way is to just jump in, and make it all the way up as you go."**

  
  
  
He growled angrily at his captor and himself. He never thought one small rebellious act would result in what he was in now. If he had listened, if he had paid more attention his surroundings, all these would never happened to him. He knew he was wrong, he was young and inexperienced, but all he really wanted was to help his people. No... he shouldn't be slumping over such failure. He was the son of the Great Seto, he didn't have the time to be pathetic! There were still a lot opportunities to escape, patience was all he needed now and timing was essential, until then, he would wait.   
  
  
_ / You failed. /_   
  
  
"...Where are you going?"   
  


**"Nowhere."**

  
  
"You are hiding something... what is it? I'm not letting you go until you tell me what's going on--"   
  


**"--I'm sorry, please forgive me, but I can't let you know yet. He had said before, you are supposed to end it, but I've decided to take it into my business... that project belongs to her, so I'm going to end it by my hands like she had started it."**

  
  
  
The great greenish energy ball gathered at the core of the destruction, starting to counter back for her preservation and survival. Once both Death and Hope collided against each other, a blinding flash of light exploded and--   
  
  
  
  
--Everything stopped. He looked around slowly and wondered. Gradually his dreams started to fade away, blending into the darkness until all it left was his own self, standing in the middle of nowhere. The next moment he realized, he was also fading away like sand into the wind. He stared at his hands, watching with mild interest, as they broke apart into smaller pieces and continued into much smaller pieces... until they were no smaller than an electron and vanished.   
  
  
The dream was nothing more than a void before the Beginning....   
  
  
  
  
...Something made him looked up. He saw a white-cloaked figure standing slightly behind him, half of the face was covered by the hood. The smile was amused, yet sad. He slowly stood up, surprised to find the stranger was almost the same height as him... but that was not important. He tilted his head curiously.   
  
  
The white figure then asked, "You like to be here?"   
  
  


_... disturbed... something changed...._

  
  
  
Cloud looked around the place and nodded. He recognized the place from his memories, was one of his few favorite places to go, play... or hide. It was not far away from his hometown and near the beautiful white shore. He still remembered when he ran away from the cold treatments the villagers were showing and accidentally stumbled upon this sanctuary the first time. No one knew; that was why he called it 'his secret garden'. He used to sit here the whole day, watching the water glowing in an eerily glow under both the sun's glare and the pale moon's light, or looking above at the sky's constellations. Being in this place again, made he felt nostalgic.   
  
  
"I hate it."   
  
  


_... it's him... but how...._

  
  


_... no, not him. There's two...._

  
  
  
Cloud blinked. How could anyone hate this place? "Why?"   
  
  


_... she was the one... she permits...._

  
  
  
The white figure seemed to frown, "'Why'? It reminded me too much of myself being weak, isolated, and hated. Heh, I doubt you understand, you seem to have a good life."   
  
  


_... why? I don't know how it works, but it is going to disrupt all laws and orders...._

  
  


_... she permits...._

  
  
  
He shook his head. "What happened?"   
  
  
"Everyone hates my very existence, got hurt as a result. Lost count how many times. They are the ones who are wrong." The other snorted, "Blah, nothing worth to talk."   
  
  
Cloud went silence for a while. "Maybe... you really did something wrong? Just you didn't notice?"   
  
  
"...Then, what does this place reminds you of?"   
  
  
"My only comfort. Serenity. Hope. Contentment."   
  
  
The white figure stared at him wordlessly. "I see. You are too much like me... but you are different. I can see the reasons, and I am satisfied now. I have lost.... I will leave you alone now. Someday, someday, we might meet again." The hooded figure turned around and began to walk away before offering a piece of advise. "Oh yeah, careful that woman, she's will do anything to accomplish her goals."   
  
  


_... what can he do...?_

  
  


_... all the same... all the same...._

  
  


_... she permits... we've no ground to protest...._

  
  


_... just watch...._

  
  
  
The white figure slowly disappearing into the whiteness, leaving the blond standing in his own sanctuary. In the end, he still did not know who the stranger was, though he seemed familiar to him....   
  
  
  
  
...Something jolted him back into consciousness. The first thing Cloud realized was he was very, very tired, worn out beyond description and he did not know why he was feeling so. He could not even have his mind to stay focus; all he knew was confusion and chaos were everywhere. The scene was awfully familiar and as if he always had been in such situations.   
  
  
Not wanting to know where he was, how he was here, he continued to lay here and hoped that the noisy surroundings would eventually go away. Maybe he could just go back to sleep... and maybe things would be clearer after he woke up. Everything could be deal later.   
  
  
He sighed softly and closed his eyes, willing the darkness to take him again....   
  
  
...And it did not get any longer when he was forced to wake up from a warm touch on his face. Someone's hand.   
  
  
//...Wake up....//   
  
  
It took almost of all his strength to just open his eyes and stayed awake all the time. Cloud scowled and wondered why did this person keep preventing him from sleeping.   
  
  
//No time to sleep, child.//   
  
  
"...too tired...." Cloud murmured sleepily.   
  
  
//Don't sleep....//   
  
  
Sounded like Tifa. "Tifa, go away...."   
  
  
That voice chuckled. //Must be a universal trait you both inherited.// Then, in a serious tone, //I know it's unfair to wake you up now and leave the burden to you. The Link was expected to strain you this much, physically and mentally, and usually I would advise you rest now. But... I can't protected you anymore... it's the best I can give, Cloud. That person... knew... knew you are here. Knew who are you. She's coming for you. She is doing everything she can to stop me from protecting you and to get you. Cloud... Cloud....   
  
  
//Don't let her get you. There is more awaits you... so much more....//   
  
  
Alright. This was no Tifa, nor Priscilla. The said blond struggled for a while just to get himself up, briefly wondered what had he done to make himself this tired or to deserve to be rudely aroused. It felt as if he was struggling against the effects of sleeping pills. The daze in his head continued to linger, and it did not happen it would leave any time sooner. The temptation to collapse and go back to sleep was there again. It was all in his righteous and the desperate tone in that voice to prevent him from returning his dreamland. Even when he finally stood up, he still could not shrug off the drowsiness.   
  
  
//So much I've been wanting to tell you.... I wish I could have more time.//   
  
  
There was... nothing here. If he was in the right mind, he would have been aware of the voice speaking to him wasn't much of a person and he was practically suspending in the midair. He could see himself in the middle of nowhere, and darkness surrounded him as if threatening to overwhelm him. One would wonder at their insanity.   
  
  
Somehow, he felt a familiar rage boiling in him gradually. He knew it was 'one of the moods' that Tifa always complaining about, but knew she couldn't do anything about it. A part of him had to laugh, as determined a woman she was, she had long given up trying to have him kicked off this habit and that she would not risk another of her Final Heaven, ever since the previous shop was literally falling apart... no thanks to his summoning of the God of Lightning, Ramuh. Like he had said before, he wasn't much a morning person.   
  
  
While in the midst of building up his anger, he did not notice the flickers to his surroundings. It would look as if the place he was in was running out of energy. The darkness wavered, finally giving in and started melting away, like ice melting upon heat. A hint of glowing sea green began to reveal his current location, but he cared less. Distorted noises began to invade the silence here, and vaguely he knew there was not one, but many, many presences.   
  
  
//I am really sorry... so sorry... but, SHE's here.//   
  
  
The dark shield busted, dissolving like a bubble, and Cloud was immediately plunged into a world of brightness and light. He grimaced, taking some moments for his eyes to adjust to the light, and when he decided it was fine, he was greeted by chaos. Among the commotion, deep down inside, he sensed a few familiar presences... heading his direction. Whether was his foe or friend, he knew they were coming for him.   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
"Damn it!"   
  
  
"I knew this place was a bad idea!" Cid cursed, "Of all places, why the fuck are these monsters trying to reach the Ancient City?! Oh, and not to mention, our general said it's ONLY a hundred of them!" He yelled as he swung his huge spear around, successfully killing off several of those hideous monsters. However, only to realize, there were a LOT more coming for him.   
  
  
Yuffie rolled her eyes, while bringing nine of their enemies down. "Don't tell me ya finally catching up your age?"   
  
  
"Brat, this is not about my age. It's 'bout the two of us versus a number fifty times of us! And they are still multiplying."   
  
  
They did not know what happened, or what had attracted so many monsters all of a sudden. One moment, they were happily walking back to the bone village, then another these cursed creatures popped out of nowhere and started screaming for blood. Whatever business they had here, it was definitely no good news. Besides, they were blocking their only exit.   
  
  
Whoever had ordered them, the shell house... or the Forgotten Capital, was their main purpose. And like hell they were going to let them pass and disturbed the Cetra's only sanctuary.   
  
  
Yuffie gripped her weapon tightly and slashed her opponents, ignoring the exhaustion that was gradually building up in her. "You don't supposed there's something in the city they wanted?"   
  
  
"Oh yeah? Like what?!" Cid cursed out of his clenched teeth, barely dodging away from a fatal attack. He staggered on his feet, pausing for a short moment before leashing out his most powerful fire magic. The slimy monsters let out a long screech before dissolving like metal in acid. The blond made a face with disgust at the remaining liquid. "The shell houses for historical souvenirs? There's nothing in the city for them to take!"   
  
  
"Hey! I was just trying to suggest something! What else would her monsters be crawling their way here?! You tell me, old man!"   
  
  
"Ya askin' the wrong guy, ain't the smartest person in the group!" He paused, "Then again, I'm at least better than ya!"   
  
  
"What was that supposed to mean?!" Despite the harsh conditions facing so many monsters, Yuffie effortlessly threw her Conformer there and back in the swamp of monsters, and still had a moment to turn and glare at the pilot. "You think you're better? My count is twenty-seven!"   
  
  
Cid grinned as he brought down three monsters just after as Yuffie claimed. "And that would be thirty!"   
  
  
"Ugh!!"   
  
  
"Give up?!"   
  
  
"Never!"   
  
  
Cid shrugged at the girl's persistence, minding his attention back to his enemies. It had already been an hour, and the monsters weren't cutting down as much as it had to be. Too long. He hated to admit, but their exhaustion was beginning to show, it was more for them to handle. And why was the reinforcement not here yet?!   
  
  
A yelp snapped his concentration and turned to Yuffie with alarm. Somehow, her feet had given way and landed her in a very dangerous position. Yuffie had no time to recover from her fall, watched in horror as one... no, two monsters took the opportunity and jumped on her, ready to tear the girl apart into sheds.   
  
  
"Damnit! Brat, get out of the way!" Cid cursed, slashing his way to his companion, but their enemies were preventing him from reaching the Wutai teenager. Panic and helpless began to rise in him.   
  
  
Two loud gun shots were heard from far and before they knew it, the two creatures dropped to the ground dully. Both directly hit on the chest. The next wave of monsters continued the attack on Yuffie, but it was more than enough time for her to get to her feet and faced the next monsters. Eventually, more gunshots were heard and more monsters collapsed, forcing the swamp of the monsters to fall back significantly.   
  
  
"Finally!" Yuffie groaned. "What the hell took you guys so long?! We almost got our ass killed!"   
  
  
As three of their friends came from their left path, and rushing into the battle without hesitation, Barret's face twisted with annoyance at her sentence. "Ugh, shut up. It's not as if yar the only ones in trouble! Over that side, we're almost trapped in a landslide."   
  
  
"Landslide?! At least it's better to be pounded and eaten by these beasts, and besides, you guys are safe!"   
  
  
Vincent, as usual, his shots were not as random as Barret, killing his enemies accurately and deadly. With their new help, things were slightly better than before. RedXIII renewed their defenses with a magic barrier of Wall, and started healing the two. "Are you two all right?"   
  
  
"Couldn't been better if you guys are not here. Really in trouble without you guys, this," she jerked her thumb at their situation, "is getting out of our hands. Four hands, to be exact."   
  
  
RedXIII nodded. "We came as soon as possible, but apparently the sudden appearance of enemies made the soil gave way. We managed to escape unscathed, but there are some villagers aren't that fortunate."   
  
  
"Oh, crap."   
  
  
Vincent frowned, as he blew a head away and murmured, "This is no good, they keep coming." Even with his abnormal enhanced senses, he could not see where had all these monsters coming from, it just seemed that the monsters kept swarming into the city from that far random point, as if that point was the one that produced the monsters. They killed, they regenerated. Real bitchy.   
  
  
Cid panted, "Where's the rest?"   
  
  
"On the way... they were at Midgar before we lost contact."   
  
  
"Shit."   
  
  
"Oh yeah, you bet. Find anything here?"   
  
  
"Nothing."   
  
  
Barret reloaded his bullets and blew a couple of monsters' heads in time. He growled, "Can ya quit chit chatting over there and finish this stupid business already?!   
  
  
The red beast shook its head and bristled himself for the battle, not before the blond pilot joined in.   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
"Found them."   
  
  
A dark figure looked up at the statement, nodded at his other two companions. "Head towards that destination."   
  
  
"Yes, sir!"   
  
  
The second figure mused. "This is the first time, eh. Those EX gang are usually faster than us, and their resources are damn too good."   
  
  
"I hope the guys are alright...." The third person whispered.   
  
  
"Nay, you worry too much!"   
  
  
The third person glanced at the other, nodded hesitantly.   
  
  
"But," the first person muttered. "I'm more worried about her creatures venturing out into the Ancient City. Think about it, nothing useful is left for her to take. What else she wants with the city?"   
  
  
The second figure sighed and shook his head. "Worry that later, both of you. Settle the enemies, help our friends, then crack our brains together about her purpose."   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
The red beast distastefully shook the slimy gore from his mane. He roared as he released his Cosmo Memory, killing the last of them. After fighting for some time, the monsters had managed to push the gang up the stair where the shell house's entrance laid ahead. The monsters seemed to be only interested in entering the hidden palace, and trapped in the tight confines, their offensive options were limited. At the same time, the monsters weren't that scattered as they gathered at the stairs, and it was much easier to destroy the large group.   
  
  
Catching his breath, RedXIII noted the rest of his friends was faring the same, other than a couple of cuts and scratched which could be easily cured with their magic. He looked around the ground. Her creatures, even dead were as annoying and disgusting as they were alive, their smelly substances remained everywhere. Was their blood or their remains, he didn't really want to know. The dirty stuffs had merely destroying the serene and pure image of the extinct races' culture.   
  
  
Everyone rested on the top of the steps, calming their breaths. Yuffie spoke after a few breaths, "Man! I thought that was going to take forever." She sniffed, "_Ew_... I'm definitely taking a bath."   
  
  
"Not only you...." muttered Cid, while pulling out a cigarette.   
  
  
Unlike his friends, Vincent was the only one who did not look like he had been running for a mile, and even if he did feel worn out from the fight, he chose not to show it. He took the moment to glance around the surrounding, quietly noted to his friends, "At least, this place is still unharmed."   
  
  
RedXIII nodded. "Think there's something inside?"   
  
  
Cid shook his head. "Nah, me and brat checked every corner. Nothing out of the ordinary."   
  
  
"Quit callin' me 'brat', old man!"   
  
  
"Perhaps something happened after you guys left?" RedXIII wondered, ignoring their usual bickering.   
  
  
Vincent nodded. "Probably." The dark man straightened, sliding his gun into the holster, and headed for the shell house quietly. The rest gradually followed. However, they did not make to the house much before the ground started to rumble.   
  
  
Everyone was startled for a moment but recovered their postures quickly, hands ready for any combat, searching about their surroundings for any danger. Eventually, they found the source; thousand of bubbles were simmering in the middle of the lake, as if something was emerging out of the water. They cursed under their breath when they didn't have to wait long to confirm.   
  
  
As the ground ceased its shakings, a very, very huge orb of light slowly rose above the lake, giving the surrounding forest and the disturbed waters an eerie glow on them. If anything, the shell house looked as if someone had painted stars on it, making the shell house shimmered with many brilliant colors and stood out the most. Greenish thin tendrils licking out from the glowing sphere but never quite touched them. Unsure, the group took a step back, sensing the sphere's aura spreading through them even they had stood a good distance from it.   
  
  
"...What in the hell is that?!"   
  
  
RedXIII shot a split-second glance over to his left, where the voice came from, and then went back to staring at the impossible thing. He could feel the energy radiating from it, like sunlight beginning to warm his fur, and it was just hanging there. "Whatever it is, it is definitely not a good sign," the red beast growled. Strangely enough, part of him found that energy surprisingly comfortable.   
  
  
Cid cursed for the umpteen times and watched intently as the orb slowly losing its glow, or losing its beauty (in an ominous sense), he discovered the orb looked like a water sphere. In the center of it, he swore it was a human figure, cuddling about him/her. Like RedXIII had said, this was definitely NOT a good sign.   
  
  
Abruptly, the water sphere burst like a bubble and unexpectedly, they heard a very unfamiliar yelp.   
  
  
"_--What the?!_"   
  
  
Whoever the figure was, he (obviously from the voice) collapsed with a loud splash into the lake below. The situation might be very amusing, or even funny, if they did not know whom he was when the figure spurted out of water to breathe. Their faces immediately wore a sense of dread and horror to see him struggled his way to the shore, coughing and cursing.   
  
  
"Shit! Do they... she... or he, whoever, really have to go that far?! I know I ain't the nicest person in the world in the mornings, but... throwing me into friggin' cold lake?! Grr...!! If I ever get to see whoever that was...." Cloud Strife had looked... ridiculously drenched when he stepped onto the dry grounds. The blond wiped his wet bangs out of his... glowing eyes, annoyed, and finally noticed the gang in front. "Great... do you guys have fun watching me soaked inside out?"   
  
  
( ...WHAT?! )   
  
  
To simply say they were surprised was an understatement! Not only they had just discovered their greatest enemy had revived, they did not know their enemy was capable of displaying emotions. Their once-insane enemy had looked annoyed and was being sarcastic, if they had knew any better, they could have swore Cloud Strife had acted as if they had been friends instead of enemies.   
  
  
Cloud straightened, drawing his strong build up. That five-inches huge, glowing sword snapped behind his back wasn't doing the group any better. Even soaked and seemingly weak, no one dared to make the first move or throw themselves into recklessness. And since when, Cloud Strife had been using huge swords?!   
  
  
"What?" Cloud frowned at the gulping group, still slightly annoyed. "What's wrong?"   
  
  
( You are asking us 'what's wrong'?! )   
  
  
"Y-you... you!!" Barret stuttered slightly, then he took another deep breath and tried again. This time, he dared to raise his weapon against the blond. "Quit fuckin' with our minds with your tricks! If killin' yer one time not enough, I'll make sure this time yer are more deader than dead!"   
  
  
Cloud's look of confusion increased at Barret's outburst, before a blank look dominated his expression. His glowing mako eyes flickered over their surroundings, instantly recognizing the place as the Forgotten Capital of the Ancients, and paying particular attention to the lake behind him.   
  
  
"This is... where Aeris...." he whispered, more to himself. "But why am I doing here...?"   
  
  
( What happened? )   
  
  
While the gang was debating with themselves to flee or to fight, they unfortunately did not notice the remains of the monsters in their previous fierce battle, which was supposed to be very dead, suddenly twitched to life. None of them had noticed; they were too preoccupied with their confrontation with newly revived Cloud Strife. All, except the blond, who was facing them, saw it.   
  
  
Instinct kicked in, Cloud immediately drew into his offensive position with his Ultima Weapon. "Watch out! Behind!"   
  
  
Much to his disbelief, his friends did not react to his warnings, but to his weapon instead. They did not see every patch of the dark liquid started to move, and when it met with another, they merged... at an incredible, abnormal speed. Within seconds, the liquid grew larger and larger, rising to a great height that it nearly blocked the sunlight. Cloud did not know what the hell this thing was, and judging from the ground he had first saw, he thought it was the remains of the dead from a fight (one helluva of fight, he noted)... but this thing, or whatever it was, had to be hundreds, hundreds of them.   
  
  
There was no time for his friends to react even if they were aware, and whatever wrong was with his friends, he couldn't be laying around and do nothing. Reaching for his inner energy, he wasted no time to cast the most powerful barrier, Wall, to everyone and then released the bitterest cold summoning, hoping Shiva would freeze the filthy liquid to the hardest and shatter to bits.   
  
  
However, his red materia did not respond to his command immediately as it should... something else happened. Right where he was standing, reddish lines flared to life on the ground, encircling him in a strange emblem, and ancient writings burnt in between the burning lines for a moment before fading away to nothing. The glowing lines then began to spread outward away from Cloud like streams, but he knew Shiva had been summoned, for the red materia on his weapon was glowing brightly and the lines gradually diminished into the ground.   
  
  
However, other than that, the procedure was the same. He shook his head softly, he did not have the time to wonder about it and at least the weird occurrences did not hinder the usual summoning time. He looked at the enemy. At first, it seemed to be working, Shiva's Diamond Dust froze a hell over the liquid and all left was a big chuck of ice. However, the next moment (and a very damn short time), the ice cracked, and was all the warning he had before the entire dark liquid burst out of the ice, heading for him.   
  
  
He cursed darkly; at least his friends were out of the way and he had the monster's attention, unfortunately. He embraced himself and casting another magic. Or... at least, he had tried to. He hadn't started calling the magic, a wave of fatigue from nowhere hit him like he had never felt before. Cloud gasped.   
  
  
His vision blackened for a while, and the next thing he knew he had dropped to his knees, barely supporting himself up. His blue eyes were clouded; breaths were heavy as he struggled to get hold of himself.   
  
  
_//You are not supposed to be awake... too much for your body to take.//_   
  
  
It was too late to dodge; the merciless liquid enemy came crushing down on him like a tsunami. After all, the enemy's sole purpose was Cloud Strife. The gang watched in dismay as the liquid swallowed the blond easily. The first terrifying thought came to their mind was, her creatures were merging with him.   
  
  
"Shit, shit!" Cid made a sick face, slowly backing away from the disgusting monster. "This ain't good! No way, we're fightin' this freak now! It took a hell outta us that last time in Northern Crater, and that time everyone was present."   
  
  
"Grr... need yer to remind us?" Barret growled.   
  
  
Yuffie chewed her lower lips nervously, eyes flicked here and there. "What are we going to do? Cloud Strife is back. We're bound to fight with him again!"   
  
  
RedXIII narrowed his eyes. "We can still hold off for a while, if the merging successful, he might not have drawn to his fullest strength... but if the fight prolongs...." However, something was... off. He was Cloud Strife, at the same time, he was not. It had been bothering him for a while since the revival. The red beast found it hard to put this indifference to words... it was as if two identical cakes with two different taste (though it still didn't sound right).   
  
  
In addition, he did not know it was a good or a bad sign... things were so confusing.   
  
  
Just when they feared the worse, the dark liquid paused, and then started shuddered violently, increasingly intense as if the monster would explode at anytime. The gang looked at it with much disgust, not at what it might do, or rather at the state this dirty liquid currently was as it shivered, spiked, wobbled with constantly changing shades of colors.   
  
  
"Things are getting worse, _very_." Vincent said, gripping his Death Penalty tighter. Then, he tilted his head a little to his left. "...Highwind is here."   
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
His consciousness was fading in and out. Somewhere in his mind, he knew what to do, had to do, and if there was one thing he knew more than anything, it was the skill that buried deep within him. The skill that no one possessed but him. The skill with many strokes of heavy damages that promised victory. The skill that he used on....   
  
  
// HE's here. //   
  
  
No matter how different, how confusing things might be, he would always know. It was in his blood, in his soul. Those icy green eyes, no one had knew better than he was, was looking at him.   
  
  
Didn't matter if they seemed to hold joy, because given any circumstances, they were bonded on many levels.   
  
  
  


[FLASH]

  
  
  
_It was not solitude. It was not cold. He felt rather peaceful and warmth.   
  
That quiet voice again. "This scenery... snow field. Unstrained, pure... the sky is not as gray as you think. It is always blue, be it day or night. Surrounded with no one, wrapped in heaven's arms, it was always watching with such quietness. Always... quietly. As if time does not care to exist here... and snow will always fall quietly."   
  
"Do you find it sad?" Cloud closed his eyes. "I thought it was gentle."_   
  
  


/ You are the Gift of Gift itself. /   
  
  
  
[FLASH]

  
  
  
  
  
  
** ***** **   
  
  
He could feel Him. It might have felt different, but all were the same.   
  
  
He had little time to wonder why it would have feel different, for as soon as his feet touched the ancient ground he saw the foul aura pouring out from the upper grounds, where the lone shell house stood. Therefore, he was not surprised when the ground shuddered and closely followed by an obnoxious screeching. What he had not expected when he went to his friends was the endless strikes of the Onmislash.   
  
  
The skills were so much faster, so much powerful than he originally knew and familiarized. Every slash and stroke hit with deadly accuracy and the way He handled effortlessly, implanted deeply into his mind. It had to be the art of destruction. The poor monster did not even know what had hit it, and before anyone knew it, He ended with his final hit.   
  
  
The monster, now a pitiful state, let out its' last cry before solidified and breaking apart like dust, and gone with the wind. What left when the haze cleared out was a group of weary and disoriented friends, but fortunately not badly injured as far as his eyes could see... and most importantly, that One enemy in front of him.   
  
  
His racing mind had little to notice how exhausted Cloud Strife seemed to be when he landed on the ground, and had to lean against the broad sword that stabbed into the ground for support. Time seemed eternal as he watched the blond's head bended against his sword tiredly, and unexpectedly the head lifted and looked straight at him. He was surprised by what he saw, a cloudy blue-mako eyes greeted him. Glowing mako eyes.   
  
  
"...Sephiroth...."   
  
  
He heard his name called, he heard a voice he had not heard for so long and longed for it since that day. He was afraid. Then he feared pain, he dared not speak any further and dumbly watched his old enemy. He would have cried in relief when the blond's eyes closed, but he was also horrified when his betrayal body moved forward and caught the unconscious Cloud into his arms.   
  
  
Again, a warmth he had missed, and he decided to throw all cautious into the wind.   
  
  
  
  
  
END.Chapter02  
To Be Continued_  



	4. 03: awaken reunion

  
Disclaimer: This fiction is used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only and is not meant for sale or profit. All original characters are the creation of the author.

Warning: YAOI, Sephiroth/Cloud eventually. If you can't stand these stuffs or don't know what it means, get the hell out.... And ONE more thing, recently I have search through the site, and HAVE found a FF7 story very similar to mine. Thus leading me to believe that there ARE a couple of stories out there, hiding, are also similar to mine. So, if you ever read any of them before, or whatever, and found this fanfic very familiar, I'd say "Alter Quies" is not a copied work OR inspired from one of them. Just a simple plot that happens to be not a very original story (although I used to thought it was so perfect... oh well). That's all. ^_^ Sounds like a deja vu, huh.   
Finally, I do not come from a native English speaking country, so grammar and everything wise may not be the good here.

ALTER QUIES  
Chapter 03: awaken reunion...

** ***** **  
  
--- ------------------------------ ---  
We were strangers starting out on a journey   
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through   
Now here we are and I'm suddenly standing   
At the Beginning with you  
  
No one told me I was going to find you   
Unexpected what you did to my heart   
When I lost hope you were there to remind me   
This is the start   
  
And Life is a road and I wanna keep going   
Love is a river I wanna keep flowing   
Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey   
I'll be there when the world stops turning   
I'll be there when the storm is through   
And in the end I wanna be standing  
At the Beginning with you   
  
Knew there was somebody somewhere   
Like a light in the dark   
Now I know our dreams will live on  
I've been waiting so long   
Nothing's gonna tear us apart   
-- "At the beginning" by Richard Marx & Donna Lewis (Anastasia)  
--- ------------------------------ ---  
  
** ***** **  
  
  
Darkness had always been confusing, for it always hid many truths. Perhaps it was night? Or maybe it was just that there was no light. Perhaps he was dead but then again, he could just be asleep....  
  
As he slowly awoke, Cloud gradually realized that he was feeling better than he had in a very long time. As if the past days had been muddled and only now then the haziness in his mind had finally cleared. With a soft sigh, he looked up at the strange white ceiling. He blinked. He had no idea where he was and why he was here. It hinted him of the ShinRa tower, and he had his half mind telling him he was in the building right now.  
  
Before he could figure out his surroundings, for a brief moment, he felt a chill down his spine, and he wondered why. A cold, sharp man's voice unintentionally answered him, and that sent Cloud sat bolt upright.   
  
"Sephiroth...?!" his eyes widened in shock. "How... why are you here?!"  
  
"I could ask the thing to you," Sephiroth coolly retorted, looking not the least bit impressed.  
  
While they were together in this white, yet strange room, Sephiroth at the opposite end near the door, sitting with arms folded and the Masamune resting neatly against the wall, he grimly noticed that the man had every opportunity to have him killed while he was unconscious.   
  
Without taking his eyes off the black-clad man in front of him, Cloud narrowed his eyes warily. "Where am I? What have you done to me?"  
  
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the demanding words. He stood up and walked gracefully to the bed, he said in a sardonic voice, "That's quite an attitude change for you. You were extremely persistent to see everyone suffer, lest for me to do anything to you."   
  
"I don't know what the hell you are talki...!!"   
  
Without any warning, Sephiroth had grabbed him by the throat and already slammed Cloud back at the bed harshly. Despite the soft bed, the blond could not help but to wince at the momentary throbs in his head... then froze in shock and perhaps a little bit of terror at the black-caped man who effortlessly held him by the throat. Sephiroth was so close that he could sense his steady breath on his face, his icy green mako eyes flaring ominously, sending him the chills.  
  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
Those eyes reminded him how cruel the man had... how powerful the man had, waving the great Masamune so effortlessly like a god. The General would look up at him slowly, green mako eyes glowing, smirking evilly, and blazing fires raged into the night as he turned away almost gracefully. Leaving a soon-to-be-destroyed town, full of bodies whom Cloud had known, had grown with...   
  
...and his mother was lying there motionlessly, both dead eyes staring at him.   
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
  
"Enough of your games," hissed Sephiroth. "What do you want, Jenova? Isn't killing you not once, but TWICE enough? And dare you to come back in this form?"  
  
Jerking back from his thoughts painfully, he gasped, "Je-Jenova...? What...a,are you... talking... about?!"  
  
"I will not hesitate to kill you, Jenova. Your trick won't work twice."  
  
The pain was intense, Cloud could barely stifle a cry when the silver-haired man pressed even harder against him. Gathering all his will and strength, Cloud spun and used his right leg to kick Sephiroth on the side of his abdomen. This caught the other man off guard as the force of the kick threw Sephiroth to the door.  
  
Cloud struggled with a few soft coughs before instinctively reaching to the back for his Ultima Sword... and found nothing. He cursed inwardly, knowing Sephiroth would not seriously allow him to have much opportunity to save or to harm.  
  
( And why do he keep calling me 'Jenova'? )  
  
He stared at Sephiroth suspiciously as he was to him. But the more he watched, the more bizarre his mortal enemy is. He could not place what was wrong about it, was it with him, or was it Sephiroth meddling in his mind again? A small part of him told him this Sephiroth was not the same one he had faced a year ago, however, another part of him was telling him that this WAS the real Sephiroth. That unmistakable glowing power and aura around that tall man.  
  
Shaking his head, Cloud finally found his voice, "If I am Jenova, it would be all your fault. So, quit acting funny with me, Sephiroth!"  
  
Sephiroth flinch invisibly at his words but was immediately replaced with an angry grunt. "Tell me that when you decide to stop acting like him."  
  
"Acting like who?!"  
  
"Don't deny what you had understood, Jenova."  
  
"You know, I'm tired of this. We have this communication barrier between us, that I really don't know what rubbish you are talking about!" The blond retorted annoyingly.  
  
Sephiroth gave him a chilling stare. "You do realized that you could have been dead by now."  
  
"And why haven't I? Why keep me alive when you have all the chances in the world to kill me while I am so defenseless and harmless?"  
  
Cloud hated to admit his inability in front of his enemy, and knew he had hit exactly on the nail, but he held his fears that he could die from it. He waited, and nothing came. After a long heavy silence, they were just sending draggers to each other. The air seemed to have dense with their piecing silence.  
  
  
The conservation might have continued further, but familiar voices broke the mood and faces he knew all-too-well, much to Cloud's relief, bolted into the room, "Sephiroth, what's going on? Is he aw... SHIT!"  
  
Friends who had been once forced together through circumstances and yet had formed a bond of love and trust that could never be broken, were now moving in the room with great wary and weapons on their hands. Cid, RedXIII, Barret, Vincent and Yuffie... the room was yet huge enough to hold the lot of them, he noted.   
  
Cloud did not know whether he should be happy or not. Sure he was glad to see familiar faces, especially confronting with his enemy alone in this confusing situation. On the other hand, his friends, instead of siding him from Sephiroth, they were preparing to attack him at the slightest movements from him. He wasn't sure who had been betrayed.  
  
The blond frowned slightly; fragments of a vague memory began hovered at the corners of his mind... Barret and Cid shouting at him... endless monsters eliminated... glowing light of his Onmislash... but he could not quite remember what it was about.  
  
As if the roles of good and evil had been switched. What a way to start his day!  
  
"Jeez, I don't think we should ever bring him back in the first place."  
  
Cid ignored Barret's comments and turned to Sephiroth, "So, what are we going to do with him now?"  
  
Sephiroth remained silent.  
  
And out of so many choices, Sephiroth chose to spare him and EVEN brought him back to the ship. For what?  
  
Cid rubbed the back of his neck and scowled as everyone turned to stare at him. They clearly expected him to make the final decision. He knew, with Cloud's involvement, Sephiroth's judgement was in serious question and the silver-haired ex-general knew that well than anyone. It was no surprise that Sephiroth had decided to keep his mouth shut while he let them come to their own decision. Cid glanced irritably at Cloud who met the pilot's gaze for only a brief instant.   
  
Of all the excitement, Cloud had chose silence, standing against the wall, looked down at his feet. He dared not try to make any suspicious move. It seemed to be the most reasonable course of action for him, but Cloud could not help feeling that he was also taking the easy way out.  
  
Cloud listened tensely as his friends, debated how to deal with him, while remained silent with his mind frantically racing.  
  
( One, ) he began. ( Sephiroth and Jenova have taken them. Two, this is nothing but another illusion set by them. Three, I am dreaming. )  
  
The blond blinked and shook his head. He was getting more and more uneasy as the seconds slid into minutes. He tried to reach for his memories, hoping he would remember, or at least would give him some ideas to explain this confounding situation but to no avail. He disliked being out of control of the situation, it reminded him of more solitude. And it vexed him greatly.  
  
He then remembered a woman -- called Gaea -- at the Forgotten City, and he had a feeling she knew much. Possibly she had started all these. What had she said?   
  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
Cloud blinked, "Help?"  
  
/ Due to naïve, obstinate and ineffective methods, my sister is hence suffering. I need YOU to help neutralize the threat. /  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
  
So... her sister needed his help. But of what threat? Sephiroth?  
  
( No... it makes no sense. )  
  
He desperately needed more answers, but their conversations did not help him much. He was rather being forced to help her, than willingly to. Not only she was extremely reluctant to reveal her identity and her purpose, she was not a simple character to be underestimated. She had the same sort of pricking sensations of both great strength and aura around her, almost as similar as he felt about for Jenova. Except that latter had a sickening sense that immensely disturbed him.  
  
However, knowing that wouldn't help him to out of his current state. What help would bring him to where Sephiroth was well and alive, where his close friends went siding to his enemy and treating him hostile? It was like he was woken up in another world.   
  
Finally he saw RedXIII stepping in, catching everyone attention. "Everyone, we could go on about this forever and end up no conclusions at all."  
  
Cid inhaled a long breath of cigarette and spoke, "And what's your point?"  
  
"I suggest we best not to come combat with him."  
  
Everyone, saved for Vincent and Sephiroth -- who merely raised a eyebrow -- dropped their jaws.   
  
"What?!"   
  
Shouted Yuffie, "You are suggesting that we should let him go?!"  
  
"Like hell!" Barret snapped.  
  
RedXIII cleared his throat, and said firmly, "I admit this makes no sense, but don't you guys feel it? There's something different...."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. You had said something like this before at the Bone Village. Can explain?" Yuffie nervously tossed the Conformer from hand to hand as she said.  
  
The beast nodded, "From the first encounter till now, what I see, smell, feel about him are totally different from what I had about him before. I could have told you, if not for the astonishing identical appearance, I would assure you this is another person. Unlike the sickening, unclean sensations I got of before, this man here have me under the impression of tremendously powerful, yet unstained. There's something 'right' about him."  
  
His one-eyed gaze raked over the silver-haired man, "Besides, someone had already agreed with me."  
  
The ex-general was suddenly enduring all pairs of eyes. Disbelief, shock and anger plagued their faces as they looked upon him, yet Sephiroth's face was expressionless. Whatever feelings raging inside him were kept well hidden. Looking away, Sephiroth folded his arms and muttered. "He contains extensive amount of Jenova cells."  
  
Cloud immediately frowned ridiculously at his words.  
  
"Why, would not that also prove my theory? For all I know about Cloud Strife, he did not undergo any SOLIDER treatments, or any processes involving Jenova cells."   
  
RedXIII cocked his head slightly, as if amused. "Yet you think he is Jenova herself in disguise."  
  
The other man made no answer.  
  
The blond pilot stepped in, "Wait a minute, you are not telling us to trust him, are you?!"   
  
"I'm not telling you to trust him, just it could be possible to avoid conflicts."  
  
"After all he had done to us?!" yelled Barret. "Alright, Cloud! You'd your fun, so quit twisting Red's head upside down and tell us what the hell you want?!"  
  
Cloud's blank gaze and ominous silence had several people stealthily reaching for their weapons. RedXIII merely shook his head. While ignoring his friends, in a firm tone, the red beast turned and stared at Cloud, "I can... feel two different presence in you. One of which I can not able to identify, yet it is quite similar to our old enemy." A pause. "The second, surprisingly, reminds me very much of... Zack."  
  
Sephiroth chose this time to look up and watched the blond's eyes slowly widened from shock to dismay. The dark-haired SOLIDER's simple name had evidently caused great distress to Cloud, though he did not understand why he should. The blond remained very loss, and the moment Cloud's gaze tore away from the red beast to the door, the blond froze and went very pale.  
  
Standing at the door, were the most unexpected faces and the last thing he ever could see in the Planet: the spiky dark-haired SOLIDER and the brown-haired flower girl had been all over the ship looking for the group, were now slowly making their way in the room. Zack's movement was relaxed, but a hint of shock in his eyes showed he was as warily of him as the rest were. But Aeris's expression was strangely blank; Cloud could see no shock, no fear, no disgust or hate, and he wondered.  
  
A flare of pain in his eyes as memories painfully threatened to surface, but he quickly hid it. He could not afford to reveal any more weakness that may led to the already hostile people a conclusion as a threat.  
  
As soon as he set onto his mind some determination, Cloud had gone through a massive struggle to keep himself from screaming in frustration and madness. Especially trying to figure out why people he knew were supposed to be dead was being alive and standing in front him.  
  
Everything just felt so wrong!  
  
Cloud slowly sighed, and calmed himself, again, to wait and watch the situation. Things might have gone better as time passed. He would be damned if he was to foolishly spun into action ( ...or screaming in madness ). Besides, even if he could escape unscathed from Sephiroth and the group, he would have no where to run to. The constantly passing clouds and the wide boundless horizon of the ocean outside the small window told him they were taking on air, over the seas.  
  
He had no doubt this could be Cid's Highwind, though he had no explanation for the pilot to have such an advanced ship. He would have to wait, painfully patient, while he continued to hold his own suspicious.  
  
  
** ***** **  
  
Zack made a quick scan around the room before looking at Sephiroth. He shrugged slightly, "Well, I heard from our crews and thought they really have a bad joke about it. Any conclusion?"  
  
The other man shook his head softly, and said, "He's acting very strange and none of us willing to make a decision. Worse come to worse, adding more to our confusion, Red is suggesting that we should not take any action on him, yet."  
  
"I see."  
  
"And as much as I hate to admit, he is really different."  
  
"Different?" snorted Barret, obviously was listening to the conversation despite his shouting at Cloud. "I'd say he's hiding something behind our backs and waiting for us to fall into his tricks. What a slimy bastard."  
  
  
Cloud winced at his comments but did nothing. He was trying to think of something, when a sudden tremor forcefully shook the entire ship and Cloud was forced to fall back wobbly onto the bed. The rest, other than the four-legged beast, were leaning against the wall for support, as the warning siren sounded throughout the ship and the vibrations continued. Soon, the whole ship was in both excitement and anxiety.  
  
"What the...?!"  
  
Barret shouted, "Damnit! What's it now?!"  
  
"God curses! Can anyone informs me of the situation?! Roy? Yuamuzi? Anyone, get your butt here NOW and tell me!" While Cid was cursing aloud, a crewmember immediately stumbled nervously at the doorway and began stammering.  
  
"S-sir, you called?"  
  
"Grrr...! 'Course I called, NOW WHAT'S THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" raged the blond pilot. "Already we have enough problems, so DON'T test my patience!"  
  
"Y-yes! Reporting from t-the bridge, unidentified flying monsters are seen within the range and are heading towards the ship. S-sir, we're under attack."  
  
"Jenova," announced Zack aloud, and Sephiroth nodded.  
  
Yuffie smacked her forehead, "Of all the times."  
  
"Can't you use the beam blusters to get rid of them?" ordered Cid.  
  
"N-no sir, they are too fast for the beam blusters to shoot. We could do for a random attack, and some may get hit... but there's too many of them and we have yet recover even fifty percent from yesterday night. The shield can't hold much longer...." He looked into his watch and continued, "Not for the next fifteen minutes, sir. Please give us your orders, s-sir."  
  
Loud curses could be heard aloud in the room. And finally, Sephiroth spoke, "Our enemies... how many there is?"  
  
The crewmember turned to the silver-haired man, "Estimated about two hundreds."  
  
Startled, Zack cried, "What? Where did all these come from?! A toy factory?"  
  
The black-caped man ignored the other man's comments and asked again, "Do you recognize their attributes?"  
  
"Attributes? Oh! You mean their characteristics? Yes, from the observations, they appear to be non-elemental."  
  
"Long-ranged attacks are not option." RedXIII said thoughtfully, "We are also too close to Gongaga and Cosmo Canyon, we may bring danger along. It is best that we finish them off here, for once."  
  
"I agreed with Red," nodded Aeris.   
  
Yuffie jumped in, "I guess spell-based attacks are necessary too."  
  
Suddenly Aeris gasped and clutched her head as if in pain. "The planet... she's in pain, she is crying! Sephiroth, they said she is... she is trying to do something. But I don't know what!"  
  
"In pain?" Sephiroth frowned. "That's not very good. Is it the monsters? Or Cloud Strife?"  
  
"I don't know.... The voices are too confusing, I can't make out what they are saying."  
  
Sephiroth nodded and said flatly, "Cid, tell them to stop the ship forwarding and unlatch the deck, then to standby as soon as the shield wear off. We will be fighting outside."  
  
Cid looked back at his crew, "Yeah, you heard the man. Get out of here and tell the rest." and he was gone down to the bridge.  
  
"So, that's the plan..." Vincent then gestured to Cloud and said, "What about him?"  
  
Barret retorted, "I hope ya not letting him to help us and fight. Who knows, those freaks outside probably under his control."  
  
"Yeah," Yuffie jumped in. "Didn't you say he has Jenova cells?"  
  
"Yes. And no, Barret. Red and Zack will stay back to watch over Cloud Strife. The rest will follow me," Sephiroth ordered, but interrupted them when they were about to object. "All our discussions about him are pretty much moot at this point. However, we can't waste much energy on him, not when there's a size of an army outside waiting to be killed. Besides, we can't afford to lose any more defenses just because of their short-ranged weapons."  
  
"Shit. I hate it when you make too much sense."  
  
"I'm hope you know what you are doing, Sephiroth," Cid muttered.  
  
The silver-haired man said nothing and began walking out of the room. Only did Barret and Cid give Cloud a hard glare, they then as well as the rest, saved RedXIII and Zack, followed their leader out. Not happy with the decision, they knew the man was right.  
  
  
** ***** **  
  
While there were a large number of the flying creatures, the monsters were surprisingly weak -- more of an annoyance than anything else -- and didn't seem armed with anything more than menacing than slightly oversized claws. It seemed she was trying to win the battle by outnumbering the group, which proved to be futile in the end. But then again, knowing her, she didn't seem the kind to do such thing. Jenova was just testing them. She knew they were strong, knew such numbers wouldn't scare them away.  
  
But still not strong enough.  
  
He shook the slimy liquid off his sword with disgust and made a quick scan about the area, before returning to the bridge with the rest of the group.  
  
( What is she plotting this time? ) thought Sephiroth.  
  
Of the whole quiet year, why now? He entered the bridge and immediately frowned as he noticed Cloud was there too. While the young man did nothing but just standing against the wall with arms folded to his chest, looking as if deeply in thoughts, he found it rather disturbing for his enemy to do... nothing.   
  
Since he was awoke, he had been acting nothing that fit his previous insane descriptive. The truth, he was acting like he was sane.  
  
At this point, he was certain it was one of the plots from Jenova. It almost worked before, ALMOST. Nearly costing their lives with it, and he would not allow another of this to happen again. He had sworn by his sword. And with today's display, he was more convinced.  
  
However, something about this Cloud made him extremely hesitated. And he did not understand why.  
  
Was the longing over the years had made him soft?  
  
But why now, when he had successfully restrained his longing over the many long and cold years?  
  
What was stopping him now?  
  
Perhaps it was last year, that peaceful, yet quiet year with sadness still lingering on it. Perhaps it was at that Judgement Day. Perhaps... it was his unforgettable memories.  
  
Memories with....  
  
  
** ***** **  
  
As he struggled to get a hold on his confused thoughts, he found his glare at Cloud ended up much harder and colder than he intended.   
  
Suddenly one of the large window monitors in the bridge sprang to life. On the screen, the current president of ShinRa scowled, then shock, "C-Cloud Strife?! Why the hell is he doing there, alive?!"  
  
Cloud froze just an instant in surprise as he took in Rufus ShinRa's appearance on the screen. But he quickly regained his composure and nothing was said.  
  
RedXIII cleared his throat, "Apparently we have some problems with our new enemy here, Rufus."  
  
"Some problems?! NEW enemy?! Oh great... Just friggin' great."  
  
The red beast raised an eyebrow and asked, "You took it quite well. Why?" And found the blond president glaring at the silver-haired general, surprisingly.  
  
"Thanks to our ex-general here, I was told that Jenova came popping out of nowhere WELL and ALIVE a month ago. Since then, I have been receiving REPORTS that stating monsters all around the world are getting more and more aggressive, REPORTS that demanding the ShinRa to protect them as well. And not just that, a few minutes ago, I've received this DAMNED report. AND when I thought nothing worst could come BECAUSE the report is stating that modified version WEAPONs are spotted, and CLOUD STRIFE is here in Highwind's bridge! Yes, what more NOW?!"  
  
On the other side of the screen, Rufus began to rummage through his desk for that elusive bottle of painkillers while cursing heavily.  
  
Meanwhile, the group in the bridge room slowly digesting the news. Soon, all exploded, "WHAT?! WEAPONs?!"  
  
Zack then grimaced and murmured, "That would explain the Planet's pain... she is trying to create the WEAPONs. But... in just ten minutes?"  
  
Rufus finally located the bottle, dumped out a tablet, then decided to double the dose. Between the pills, he muttered, "Yes, yes. And I am not joking. It was stated that the observations swore that they were not there a few minutes ago, and then suddenly, pop! There they are, like they have been for centuries. Anyhow, transmitting the video clips and pictures."  
  
The group shivered as the all-too-familiar monstrous form slowly drifted into view. The oddly slim female form and ghostly white skin made the entity instantly recognizable to the group, but this certain incarnation was bigger than any they had ever seen before... much, much incomparable. Nailed, her bony hands hung lifelessly on the silvery black sharp-pointed cross, only her right leg was spared yet twisted horribly round the shaft so to support the body. In addition to a set of broken wings, the demonic serene creature had golden blond silky hair that grew long, and by the end of it, had sprawled across to assemble a detailed emblem like an orbicular plane spinning just the tip of the cross.   
  
Her head hung loosely. Her eyes shut tightly. Disturbing as she felt, damned as she looked, suspending just above the ocean surface while towering everything, God had forsaken them and given Time the edict to devastate all things by the strangely beautiful entity.  
  
Then the picture skewed wildly and the scene was switched to a familiar landscape, Wutai. Yuffie gasped. At first, they could not see anything, but when the view was suddenly swung to the sky, they saw five large crystal orbs. Each craved with a different sign; each stabbed with a pillar of familiar glowing and sickening greenish light as it held the sphere so high in the heavenly skies. They almost missed the few pale flowing energy lines, connecting the five spheres together in the form of an unrecognized sign.  
  
It wasn't as terrifying as the first WEAPON was. In fact, it looked very less threatening, but no doubt each individual had astonishing destructive powers. They were the Planet's weapons. Until the designated target was utterly destroyed, regardless the humanity, the environmental damage would be severe enough to make uninhabitable for humans, even enough to destroy the Planet alone, and completely.  
  
"As you all can see, the WEAPONs are obviously modified. They are entirely different from previous version, much bigger, more terrifying, and definitely more powerful. It also means that the tactics we used before probably won't work again." Rufus said solemnly.  
  
Sephiroth nodded, but asked, "The last time, we had four of them. Where's the other two?"  
  
"I'm not really sure... the teams are sent all over the world and still searching for them. Yet, they might be already on the footage."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The computers are still analyzing, but my scientists suspected that the two WEAPONs, could be the fusion of the four WEAPONs. There are several characteristics...."  
  
The president did not get the chance to complete his sentence, and was rudely interrupted by an outraged snarl. Before they knew, Yuffie had already pinned Cloud to the wall with her Conformer, most unexpectedly.  
  
"Damn you! Haven't you done enough sufferings to us last year?! Why? Why Wutai?!" The teenager was basically screaming.  
  
As for Cloud, the presence of the dead continued to emerge in front of him was shocking enough, but the sheer enormity and provoking of the indifferent WEAPONs left him badly shaken. All the stillness he had struggled to set on himself, had all gone. He found himself unable to look into Yuffie's eyes, whether the lack of courage or strength, he did not know.   
  
Was it... out of guilt?  
  
He widened his eyes. ( Im... impossible! )  
  
He heard himself murmuring soft apologies to Yuffie. Though she struggled to retain her hold on Cloud, but the blond was able to break free with one strong jerk that belied his wrecked mental state. Sephiroth and the group reacted quickly, but could do nothing to prevent Cloud from bolting off and were utterly speechless when they realized he had locked himself inside the room, intentionally.  
  
  
** ***** **  
  
Cloud tried to seek an explanation for this, but he couldn't find one. There was no one to tell him what to do.  
  
He stood behind the door, slightly shaking, tentatively heard Sephiroth and the group ordering something outside. He hoped they would leave him alone, stopping blaming him as if he was the one who had tried to destroy the world.  
  
He felt so betrayed.   
  
By who? He did not know. He did not blame his friends for acting like that to him, strangely.  
  
But, what was the surprise? He was forced to accept Sephiroth was alive, as well as several people, his close friends had not recognized him, the world was more advanced than he knew, formidable WEAPONs were appearing and not to mention, and a certain alien entity, named Jenova, had returned. All in a day.  
  
He bitterly realized that this could be only the beginning.  
  
Then, a terrifying thought surfaced. Perhaps there was never a Cloud Strife to save the world... what he thought of, remembered of, were just a dream. A dream that was so real that he thought it really existed. Perhaps it was Sephiroth that had saved the world.  
  
Perhaps he was the one that could not stand against the seductive words of Jenova. Her wonderful offers!  
  
Perhaps he had killed his mother, Tifa's father, everyone! And burned down HIS OWN hometown. They meant nothing to him; Nibelhiem hated him. It wasn't his home at all and he refused to recognize it, because at the very beginning, still inside his mother's womb, they had hated him. Everyone hated the outcasts. His mother was an outcast. He was an outcast. The black sheep was to be blamed for all things, even it had did nothing. Not a slight chance to prove its' innocence. His justice!  
  
It would explain why everyone feared, hated him. It would explain why everyone had gone siding to Sephiroth, instead of him. It would explain... everything. All, and every things.  
  
Because he had been living in a life of lies, more lies and lies. Gladly given by Jenova. Gladly accepted by him.  
  
On the other hand, in the cruel reality, she controlled him. Used the Black materia and summoned the meteor. Sending the world into riots of panic and fear and despair.  
  
Perhaps it was Sephiroth that the world was saved.  
  
Cloud rubbed his face wearily and heavily sank down to the bed on his stomach. He sighed and closed his blue mako eyes. He listened to the soft roaring of the ship's engines, the whooshing sound of the moving winds... and Sephiroth's cold and deep voice muffled through the door as he gave another order.  
  
His eyes opened again. Perhaps it was Sephiroth that both Zack and Aeris were alive.... Perhaps it was his presence that had sent the Planet into danger again.  
  
( Perhaps it was just a dream, ) a quiet voice spoke out, raising his hopes again. Although his earlier conjecture made a lot of senses, it did not explain the blue mako in his eyes, the physique that belonged to a SOLIDER, the armors and Zack's uniform.   
  
He vaguely held out his wrist, then pulled off the glove and glanced at the scar. It was still here. So it did not make sense why it was still here if Sephiroth did save the world while he was just omitted in Jenova's lies.  
  
It would not be possible for her to go to the extent to make that so real, would she? Now he wished he had his Ultima Sword. At least he had something to prove that he was not the one. It wasn't any ordinary sword; it couldn't be brought from anywhere. It was a gift, from the Planet.  
  
So... what was true? What was false?  
  
What was going to happen to him? Was he going to die in the hands of his friends...?  
  
Silently laughing at his pathetic state, he hoped there was someone right here, beside him. Anyone... that understood him.  
  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
Cloud dropped his head again weakly when the small truck jerked on the less smooth road. The pain still hurt him, no matter how much he tried to ignore. However, it had been less painful than he had felt in five years. At least, no more experiments now. They were freed, finally.  
  
He slowly looked at the dark-haired SOLIDER -- taking so much of strength to move -- he could not help but to feel safe when his only friend smiled at him.  
  
"We're friend, right?"  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
"Sir, would you like to buy some flowers?"  
  
Cloud stopped and frowned at the girl standing beside him. He then looked at the beautifully bloomed yellow flowers. It was rare to see such beautiful things growing in such dark and awful places. The mercenary shrugged and smiled slightly at the brown-haired flower girl, soft greenish eyes shone back at him.  
  
"Sure. How much?"  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
  
** ***** **  
  
When Cid found Zack, he was standing on the deck, staring across the horizons. He exhaled his cigarette smoke slowly. "We've got the last report and are now processing, ain't you going to join them?"  
  
"Nay, Aeris are with Yuffie. Sephiroth and Red are down the bridge analyzing the reports, not my cup. Barret and Vincent... are somewhere in the ship, but I guess they don't need my company." Zack shrugged.  
  
"I guess you're right...." Then, silence.  
  
The dark-haired SOLIDER turned around and leaned against the rails, "And Cloud Strife?"  
  
"...The same."  
  
When Cloud Strife locked the door, Sephiroth stopped Cid from opening the door through the main system and had someone to guard the room. The camera in that room was also constantly watching their enemy.  
  
For the first two hours, they had been keeping an eye on the video in the bridge. But Cloud Strife was always in that sitting position on the bed -- leg brought up to his chest while the arm resting on it, his shoulders sagged against the wall. All the time, gazing out of the windows. They were hopping to see a reaction when the ship was close to the WEAPONs to have the computers to analyze the statistics. But none.  
  
"He's resigning."  
  
Cid blinked, "What?"  
  
"I think he is resigning."  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
Zack frowned, "I don't know... but I KNOW that look."  
  
"So do I." Cid sighed when the other man looked at him questioningly, "Remember that time when we almost lost Aeris?"  
  
Zack nodded, hesitantly.  
  
"Well, before she was revived, you were basically slouching in that room of yours. I bet Sephiroth must have kicked real hard on your butt when he went to see you."  
  
Zack chuckled, slightly embarrassed, "Yeah, something like that."  
  
The blond pilot waved his hand, "Anyway, now Cloud Strife is exactly like you when you were in your slump."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Not only that, I found quite a number of him acting very much like you."  
  
"Very much?"  
  
Cid nodded, "In a lot of ways. Did you notice that he has those mako eyes and the physical of a SOLIDER?"  
  
"I'm sure everyone noticed." Zack sighed and quietly sighed, "I wonder could that be what Red have been trying to tell us?"  
  
"You believe him?" the blond raised an eyebrow.  
  
The dark-haired man moisture his lips, "I hate Cloud when he spilled Aeris blood, and nearly killed her. I hate him when he had brought so much misery to Seph and everyone. I hate him since eight years ago. But...."  
  
Cid waited.  
  
"I think I really believe what Red said about Cloud Strife. And from what I observed, he is both physical and mentally different from our old Cloud Strife. I might added, he seems slightly confused."  
  
"Confused? Now that's interesting." Cid mocked at his comments. Then on a more serious note, the pilot looked at his companion and said, "Actually I have no idea about the whole episode, it seems too good AND convenient to be true. Maybe he's pulling one hell of an act and planning to slay every one of us once our backs are turned. I mean, it did happen before."  
  
"I get your point. But like Seph had said, every discussion about him is pretty moot. And which is why we are heading for Cosmo Canyon." Zack said.  
  
"I hope we'll get our answers there."  
  
Zack agreed. Then he suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, got any chance to check his weapon?"  
  
"That huge sword of his? No, it's been one thing after another. Why you ask?"  
  
Zack shrugged his shoulders. "His sword seems to fascinate me very much. It is as if the sword is alive."  
  
"Hmm... reminds me, did I mention to you about Cloud Strife's Onmislash?"  
  
"Yuffie did."  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure she did. Well, since you knew about it, go analyze that sword whatever you like. You're the HUGE sword specialist."  
  
Zack grinned, "No prob."  
  
"Guys, are you done? The ship's landing."  
  
The two men turned to see Aeris standing by the doorway, smiling. Zack glanced across the deck and saw Cosmo Canyon fast approaching.  
  
"Yup, we are done. Let's go."  
  
  
** ***** **  
  
It was a short walk from the Highwind's mooring site to Cosmo Canyon. Over the last year, the village was slowly being rebuilt. Instead of shabby tents, most of the people were now living in sturdy houses. Cloud noticed there wasn't much different from what he knew about from his own memories, except the observatory. He could see it was nearly as high-tech as the Highwind.  
  
When he saw Bugenhagen patiently waiting for the group to approach, he had a sudden urge to groan loudly. But the current circumstances prevailed -- he merely folded his arms in slight irritation and looked away.  
  
( Now... that's an interesting and unexpected element. ) Sharp eyes crinkled at the edges in excitement as the elderly observed immensely at the blond-haired man.   
  
"Well, well, what is taking you all so long?"  
  
"Some bloody birds pulling the traffic," snorted Cid.  
  
The elder laughed, "I assume everyone is still the same as before!"  
  
Sephiroth stepped forward and gave Nanaki's grandfather a thoughtful look. "I do hope you know our purpose here, Bugenhagen."  
  
"Hohohoo, our general here is still as blunt as always. Why, I thought you would be rather more relax after the Judgement Day...."  
  
"Bugenhagen."  
  
The elderly chuckled, "No offence, my friend. Come on, I sure everyone is quite worn out, why don't you all take a rest in the inn, or at my place?"  
  
"We don't have any time...."  
  
"Time," he said with a firm tone. "Has already heading towards the climax. Both our foes and enemies are not holding anything and everything against each other. Yes, everything.... There will not be any time left once the battle begins, Sephiroth. The ride is going to be tough."  
  
Silk stiffly rustling, the elderly gave everyone a long, hard look before inhaling a deep breath. "Come along, it is nice to chat around here but it'd be best to have it in my house... especially when it is concerning our special guest, right?"  
  
The elderly's intensive stare on Cloud was uncomfortable, as if he was measuring him from inside to out. He had a feeling that the red beast's grandfather knew something, possibly the key to unlock the questions when all things seemed to go wrong only to him.  
  
Without any warning, Bugenhagen headed towards to his house. Then could Cloud relax and inwardly relieved.   
  
But somehow he had a feeling things were not going to be as easy as he wanted it to be.  
  
  
  
END.Chapter03  
To Be Continued_

A/N: Hey, I know I did say this chapter would reveal the truth... but then again, I decided it is a bit too soon to know everything and yay~ happy ending!! No, this is not my style... besides, it would be far too easy for the casts. Don't you think so? *evil grins* Anyway, from the comments I got, I know the story so far is still confusing... but this is what I wanted. Anyway, IF you manage to find those similar stories, it probably wouldn't be. XD   
You don't know how much it had mean to me, and I still don't know anyone are still with me or not.... But to the reviewers who are SOOOOOO kind and wasted your precious time to review this trash of mine, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 


	5. 04: truths trauma

  
Disclaimer: This fiction is used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only and is not meant for sale or profit. All original characters are the creation of the author.

Warning: YAOI, Sephiroth/Cloud eventually. If you can't stand these stuffs or don't know what it means, get the hell out.... Finally, I do not come from a native English speaking country, so grammar and everything wise may not be the good here.

ALTER QUIES  
Chapter 04: the truths trauma...

Once they were in the living room, Cloud chose to be in the shadows, slightly away from the group. Funny, in his memories, it would be Sephiroth who would be standing in the shadows.   
  
But who else he could be with?  
  
Even though RedXIII had positively shown some trust for him, when he should be right beside the rest of the group yelling at him, but he could still see there was something in between that made him reluctant to approach the red beast.  
  
Cloud then turned his attention to Bugenhagen as he began.  
  
"I wish I could tell you more... but my knowledge is pretty limited."  
  
Zack blinked, "You don't know?"  
  
A sigh. "Aeris, have the Planet been talking to you passed few months?"  
  
"The planet?" the flower girl inquired. "Of course...." she stopped. Then she thought about it, her eyes narrowed and frowned. After a few moments, her expression relaxed, sadly replied, "No."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"What does it mean?"  
  
He said grimly, "I am not sure exactly the cause, but it could be also someone is preventing her from communicating to us."  
  
Aeris gasped, "You don't mean...!"  
  
Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, "Jenova."  
  
The elderly nodded, "I don't know how much stronger she is, but from what I have noticed, she is evidently stronger than before."  
  
Aeris shook her head sadly.  
  
Zack flinched and stole a quick glance at Cloud before returning to Bugenhagen. "So, if Jenova is blocking the Planet, both Aeris and you will not get anything from the Planet." The elderly nodded. "Then, tell us what you know about."  
  
"Hohohoo. How about starting from the beginning... like how our enemy came alive again?" No objections. "I believe you all did defeat Jenova herself, and yes. But that was only her substitute form, one of her many incarnations. Her real form, I believe, resides much more deeper in the crater, where the Lifestream is the richest of all."  
  
"But," Sephiroth frowned slightly. "How come I do not sense her, not until last month?"  
  
"She was hiding, my friend. She was." Bugenhagen eyed at the silver-haired man, "From you." Then he giggled slightly which prompted the other man's eyebrow to raise. "However, not the Planet."  
  
"The Planet knew?" asked Aeris, awed. "You mean the Planet knew Jenova is alive this whole time? But why didn't she...?"  
  
"That I do not know. It seems she decided not to tell anyone, not even to your ancestors." He said, "But I knew she was planning something."  
  
"Planning?"  
  
"Yes. Something told me she was preparing some things for this day."  
  
Yuffie jumped in and asked, "Could it be the WEAPONs?"  
  
"There is a possibility, however, if you ask of me, I do not think so. Although WEAPON is the Planet's own weapon, it is not something she wanted to create. Needless to say, a weapon that do not care about her survival. It is her instinct to protect herself that created the WEAPONs, it is not within her limit to do so. So, I do have a strong belief that it is not the WEAPONs."  
  
RedXIII asked, "You mentioned 'was', does it means the Planet's preparation is over?"  
  
"Yes. And at the same time, to whatever she had planning or preparing, it is activating."  
  
"Do you know what she was preparing...?"  
  
"No, I don't, yet." Bugenhagen paused and said thoughtfully, "I need time and events to figure it out."  
  
"...What about the WEAPONs then?" Cid asked absent-mindedly.  
  
The elderly blinked. "WEAPONs? Why?"  
  
"According to Rufus, the modified WEAPONs are the fusion of the four WEAPONs we defeated. It's still not confirm yet."  
  
"So it is. Rufus speaks the truth," Bugenhagen agreed. "Once the WEAPONs were destroyed the first time, and if threats ever arise again, it will modify itself more powerful."  
  
Cid said, "So you're saying that when a WEAPON's destroyed, the Planet automatically creates a stronger one in an attempt to deal with the threat?"  
  
"Yes. What, however, I do not know is why instead of modifying, it is fusing together. Still, it may not be a conscious process as we know it, but rather an instinctive reaction."  
  
Zack grimaced and muttered, "If the WEAPONs have gotten more powerful, it also means that the tactics we used before probably won't work."  
  
"Most possible, unfortunately." Sephiroth said dryly.  
  
"Indeed." Bugenhagen then smiled, "But things are not that hopeless, they are currently inactivate."  
  
"Even they aren't actually attacking, they're moving around. That doesn't sound good." Aeris said.  
  
Bugenhagen mockingly serious tone, "Then you guys better clear them before they do any damages!"  
  
Barret growled silently, "I don't found it funny...."  
  
"Aww... come on, Barret." Aeris smiled and tried to brighten the room slightly, "At least we now know what's our destination."  
  
Cid said, "Yeah. Like last time, we'll kick that alien bitchy's ass and this time round, we'll make sure it stays dead!"  
  
"Then, I guess we are heading the Northern Crater again." Yuffie shrugged and tossed her Conformer to her other hand. "Alright. Then what are we waiting for?"  
  
"No, what about...."  
"Wait a minute...."  
  
Both Cloud and Sephiroth interrupted sharply coincidentally. This made everyone startled, including themselves, and stared at them. They completely had forgotten about Cloud, who he had remained unnoticed (apparently not to a certain person) so well that they nearly missed him. They had also nearly forgot, beside Jenova, there was another threat just right in front of them. Then again, they had also forgotten about Vincent too.... Some cursed themselves for letting themselves to overlook such important things.  
  
Sephiroth and Cloud looked at each other, slightly disbelief, before it turned into glare and looked away.  
  
Bugenhagen blinked amusingly then said excitedly. "Yes, yes! How can I forget about our guest!"  
  
Barret blinked and snorted angrily. "More like enemy I say."   
  
"Grandpa, what do you think of him?" asked RedXIII.  
  
"Oh?" inquired his grandfather, then observed Cloud and smiled back to the red beast. "Nanaki, do not doubt your instincts."  
  
RedXIII smiled and said aloud, as if excited, "I thought so!"  
  
"What?" Yuffie asked. "Can anybody explain to me this animals' language?"  
  
"Hohohoo, that means you can be at ease when our guest is around."  
  
Zack said, "Oh. The another-person-yet-the-same-person thing."  
  
This earned several grumbles.  
  
Bugenhagen laughed, "I understand everyone cannot believe us easily, especially after what he had done to everyone of us, and believe me, I also do not know what I can do to make you believe." He walked towards Cloud and said in a curious voice, "That's why I would like to hear from you."  
  
"His words alone? He will lies." Barret waved his hand vaguely.  
  
"And do you?" to Cloud, the elderly asked.  
  
".... I try not." Was his answer after being so quiet for so long.  
  
Barret hissed "See!"  
  
"Barret, leave your prejudgment aside for a while and hear what he says." He said, "Besides, I believe he has not say anything until now, right?"  
  
RedXIII nodded, "It won't hurt you a bit."  
  
"Arghh! Go the hell ahead!" grumbled Barret and went back to sit down beside the blond pilot. Cid gave a slight shrug and looked at Bugenhagen, then to Cloud.  
  
Bugenhagen began, "So... Cloud Strife...."   
  
"'Cloud' is enough." His low voice demanded in reply.  
  
The other person raised an eyebrow but said nothing about it, "Alright then, Cloud. Do you remember or know what have happened so far?"  
  
"...."  
  
"So?"  
  
"...I don't remember." Came a hesitate answer, "But I suspected."  
  
( He lied. ) Sephiroth thought and narrowed his eyes. From their earlier encounter, he could see Cloud knew much, not in details perhaps, but more than general. At this moment, he then realized why he had brought Cloud to the ship instead of killing him... probably because he did not had the same insaneness in his eyes.  
  
"I see... then what do you suspect?"  
  
"...That I must have done something terrible," Cloud answered silently.  
  
( Clever answer. )  
  
"And do you know what is that so terrible?"  
  
"I held my suspicious, but other than that, I can't answer that confidently."  
  
"Why are you afraid?"  
  
Cloud raised his eyebrows, "Afraid?"  
  
"That's it!" snarled Barret. "It's pointless!! Can't you see he's lying his ass off?! Let's just kill him and get over it. We've enough problem to handle!"  
  
Bugenhagen heaved a sigh, "All right, all right. Since our man is getting so impatient and our guest has insisted not recalling of anything...."  
  
( So, the old man knows Cloud Strife is lying.... )   
  
"...I could show you the documents of what really happened, " finished Bugenhagen. "Everything that have triggered the Judgement Day."  
  
"...What?"  
  
Everyone's jaws dropped and stared at the elderly checking to see he was insane or not. Cid was the first to recover. "Bugenhagen, are you sure you know what you're talkin' about?! This is Cloud Strife, the one that had triggered that Judgement Day!"  
  
Yuffie muttered, "Yeah, and what if he can't handle the truth and goes the blend like he did the last time?! I mean, assuming he really don't remembered."  
  
"Then it's better to find out sooner than later, is not it?"  
  
There was a pause, before Aeris said thoughtfully, "Bugenhagen is quite right. Ever if he already can't remembered, some time in the future, he will start to recall some of them."  
  
"If you are still unsure, we can have Sephiroth to come along." The elderly suggested. "And one more of you too. My machine could hold up three persons, you know."  
  
While the black-capped man had said nothing about the suggestion, he was in fact keener to know what reaction would this Cloud Strife have. He saw everyone shrugged at the idea and nodded reluctantly.   
  
"But I'm not going." Zack shook his head, "I suddenly have something in mind to check it out, and I could use this time to do that."  
  
Aeris shrugged, "I'm slightly wore off from the fight...."  
  
Cid rubbed the back of his head. "I guess everyone is... but I still have to check up my ship for the trip."  
  
"I will." Vincent finally volunteered quietly. It surprised everyone a bit, but they said nothing. While Barret was not going to be anywhere around with Cloud, Yuffie had no confident defeating Cloud, and as for RedXIII, he had no wish to fight against this Cloud Strife, unless it was really necessary.  
  
Bugenhagen chuckled, "Well then, its settled! The rest of you can have a rest in the inn or have a stroll around the area. Believe me, it will take pretty long to tell the full-story."

** ***** **

Cloud woke up.  
  
The little girl was sitting near the entrance of the town, Nibelheim. Leaning against the fence, as if waiting for someone. Suddenly he felt the girl shouldn't be here, solitude was not right for her, and he wanted to accompany her.  
  
However, before he could make a move, the little girl stirred and looked up. Then did he notice the new comers that had entered the town. They weren't much of visitors or anything, but after she searched through the group, she shook her head in denies and ran back to her house with the head dropping in disappointment. Obviously the person she was looking wasn't in the group.  
  
But, that was not true. That person WAS within the group... just hiding.  
  
( This is the past... eight years ago. )  
  
"So how does it feel?" The Great Sephiroth continued, "It's your first time back to your hometown in a long time, right? So how does it feels?"  
  
_'Everything started three years ago, in the town called Nibelheim.'_  
  
( ...Huh? )  
  
Cloud looked at his younger self adjusting his helmet and shrugging at his words.  
  
"I wouldn't know because I don't have a hometown..."  
  
"Ummm... how 'bout your parents?" Young Cloud asked, as if uncertain.  
  
"My mother is Jenova. She died right after she gave birth to me. My father...." Then, Sephiroth laughed, "What does it matter...? All right, let's go."  
  
With a wave of his hand, the team was dismissed and was free to do anything in the town until the next order, which was to report by next dawn. As Cloud had remembered, he had expected his younger self heading for his house immediately. It should be.  
  
But it didn't. He was confused when the images revealed that young Cloud ignored his own house and headed straight to the inn with Sephiroth and Zack.  
  
( What's going on...? Am I not supposed to return back to my home at this time? )  
  
After a while, young Cloud was out of the inn and headed for the mansion, alone. And he did not come out for a long time.  
  
( No... I did not head for the mansion... I was going home, on the bed, and mother was talking to me.... I remember that! )  
  
Suddenly the moving images skewed wildly and day was night. He blinked when two dark figures emerged from the mansion. The latter was desperately trying to chase up the first one.  
  
"Cloud! Please wait... please listen to me!"  
  
( Mother?! Wait a minute... she isn't supposed to be there.... )  
  
But young Cloud ignored her and hastily walked towards the inn. He looked so unfeeling towards her, he was not slowing down, and his face was scowling as he slammed the door at her face.  
  
His mother continued to stand outside the door, crying out for him. After a few moments, his mother gave up and went back to her house sobbing.  
  
( She doesn't cry! She doesn't... at least not for me.... )  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
The screen then skewed again, but to his greatest shock, he saw himself summoning Ifrit and ruthlessly burnt down his own town. He could feel his eyes widened as he saw a very different of himself grinning in madness in amidst of the raging fires and had evidently enjoying seeing everything being destroyed to none.  
  
Ifrit roared loudly again and screams eventually filled the starless night. The whole town once again burnt in total chaos, just like the memories Cloud had as fresh as yesterday. So familiar, yet so different.  
  
_'We have a suspicious that you'd discovered something in the mansion that caused you this insanity... but it's still unclear. You killed everyone and burnt the village down.'_  
  
With a mocking wave of his hand, the demented Cloud left the distorted town unfeelingly for Mount Nibel. For Jenova.

** ***** **

Cloud staggered at his seat as the past came alive, unlashing cruel realities to his questions and slapped across his face so painful that he couldn't evade the rest of the truth.   
  
The images was now moving more and more fast, his already widened eyes forced to see it all like it was a demonic video clip chanting a curse at him.

** ***** **

_ 'The SOLIDERs tried to stop you, but strangely, they couldn't. All of a sudden, you seemed so powerful... even the first class SOLIDER, Zack, nearly died from your hands.'  
_  
He cut Zack down so effortlessly and laughed how pathetic Humans were. Tifa dropped to her knees and cried for his reasons but her words did not complete when he hacked into her body.   
  
But....  
  
He was not satisfied....  
  
...And he needed more.  
  
It was a sickening sense of pleasure and hunger when he brought Zack's sword down, and down again, and down again. The blood spattered, colored the wall, and flooded the floor. Eventually, once been a human being, miscellaneous bits of raw, abused flesh of the body were scattered around the room like grotesque confetti.  
  
The sword slipped from his fingers and hit the floor with a heavy metal sound chime. An insane smile slowly appeared, he then held out his bloody hand and licked her blood deliciously.  
  
_'You tried to take Jenova.'_  
  
Cloud Strife was dead. This was not him... THIS was Jenova.  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
Sephiroth ignored the pain on his body as he took this only one chance opportunity and swiftly plunged his Masamune into Cloud's heart.  
  
"... Can't be!"  
  
Cloud widened his eyes unbelievingly at the outcome and stared into the icy green eyes... before he was thrown into the pits of the Mako reactor....  
  
_'But it took a sheer yet strong will to defeat you.'  
  
'The Great Sephiroth killed you.'_  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
Sephiroth and Zack ran up the building, following the blood trails on the walls, on the floor, distorted corpses laid everywhere and finally the death of the ShinRa president.  
  
_'Two years later, Sephiroth and Zack left ShinRa and joined the terrorist group, AVALANCHE, to overthrown the current leader of Midgar. While they were carrying out their mission, they were caught up by a series of strange happenings.'   
  
'Staffs were mysteriously killed in the ShinRa building....  
  
...And the President was murdered by you.'_  
  
Arms and legs were tore off and thrown on the floor carelessly. The head was separated from the body yet both were pinned on the wall....  
  
...and blood couldn't just stop flowing down the walls....  
  
That was his death.  
  
_'Cloud Strife is back.'_  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
The group chased after the murderer with only the rumors by the name of 'blond spiky-haired guy'... and on the way, the group was growing, under different reason yet same purpose.  
  
_'They traveled from Midgar to Junon Base, Junon Base to Nibelheim, Nibelheim to Rocket Town... nearly the whole world. Only, in order to chase you. To stop you.'_  
  
Each on the quest had a tale of his or hers to tell. Their past, their present, their future.  
  
_'New members were introduced... Nanaki, Yuffie, Vincent, Cid....'_  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
His laughter was insane, madness, when he got the Black Materia. It was said that this only materia was the strongest of all, surpassing every materias in the world. So strong that it could single-handedly destroy the entire planet.  
  
_'Then they knew about the Black Materia... you were after the Black Materia... to the Ancient Temple. There, they know much about the Cetras and the Crisis from the Sky.'_  
  
He held it tightly in his palm, then turned to the unconscious man... and smirked before disappearing.  
  
In the end, Sephiroth was just another human with feelings.  
  
_'They succeeded.'_  
  
And that caused him the failure.  
  
_'And failed.'_  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
The city was truly a sight to see. Crystal buildings glowed in such a color that a sudden calmness would wash all wearies and troubles away.   
  
Yes it would be... if blood were to spill on it.  
  
His evil smile slowly wore on his face as he found the heart of a certain brown-haired young woman in the heart of an ancient city. He let himself fell forward and as he flew like a stone dropping down, he concentrated his magic at the palm of his hand....  
  
_'You had the Black Materia...'  
  
'...but everything will be fine... if they have Holy.'_  
  
So weak. So pathetic.   
  
Everything would belong to 'her' when the Cetra was dead. She could finally stimulate her revenge, after waiting so long.  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
Apparently, there was still some resistance.  
  
_'You tried to stop her from praying the ultimate White Magic, Holy. You tried to kill her like you'd killed the President, but Sephiroth and the gang came in time.'_  
  
He coldly regarded the group standing in the way, with Zack and Yuffie busied curing Aeris's deep wound and Sephiroth, Masamune on his hand, ready to kill him. He stared at Sephiroth before closing his eyes briefly, and made himself suspended in the air before revealing another form of Jenova.  
  
The Holy was shinning...  
  
_'Aeris's prayer is shining.'_  
  
...Then he better hurry up.  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
He looked as he was exactly that two years ago. He looked so... to be seal inside the huge mako ice block... to be alive....  
  
"...Everyone... I am so sorry...."  
  
Once the Black Materia was handed over to his real body, the whole crater shook with an overwhelming wave of vibrations....  
  
...And before they knew, a huge pillar of blue energy shot up into the heavens.   
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
The sudden surge of energy was too great, immediately everyone was mercilessly separated and had landed over the world.  
  
And, the WEAPONs had awakened.  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
So, the Planet had decided to take part in this war. Her WEAPONs scattered and had created pretty much chaos over the lands. The whole world was in a restless and heavy silence, simply because the God of Death was knocking at their doors.  
  
Because they feared Death itself.  
  
_'You had succeeded. The Black Materia was summoned.'_  
  
He savored the sight in front of him, for it brought happiness to him, yet fear and despair to the world.  
  
The hellish red light and a huge glowing rock filling the sky. The meteor.  
  
_'It was thought to be the end.'_  
  
Soon... it's time.  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
The ground suddenly gave way and shook violently. They all spun to stare in horrified disbelief as the crisis from the sky slowly rose into view. She was grinning, and how similar the grin was to Cloud's.  
  
_'They went to Northern Crater, for the final confrontation.'  
  
'They named this day as the "Judgement Day". The day that determined the rise or the fall of the Planet.'_  
  
As Sephiroth held his blade ready and warily glared the towering form of Jenova with a fierce look of determination on his face.  
  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
Jenova's lifeless stare sent him shivering slightly, but he was not afraid. Not when it compared to Aeris's sacrifice. Sephiroth was just slightly beyond, so close! Her prayer was shining, he could see!  
  
Cloud glared at Jenova with a fierce determination as the Ultima Sword rocked steadily with the vibrations began to cease.  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
The Holy was shining, but... there was also Cloud Strife. He was not looking the least impressive. A soft growl emitted from his mouth as he bent lower as if in pain.  
  
"Insignificant fools!"  
  
And then, he transformed. Huge purple veins started appeared on the sides of his face as though designing that smooth skin. His blond hair no longer spiky as they grew into messy and long to his thighs, his newly grown hair was suspended and spreading everywhere in the air like wings. His human hands were no longer humans; they almost looked exactly like Jenova's. His three long and fleshy tissue-like tails, replacing his legs, whipped the air with a deadly slash and aim.  
  
Everyone startled slightly as their final enemy slowly looked up. His flaming red eyes seemed to be raging with immeasurable lunacy. His slightly blue colored lips parted.  
  
"I shall show you, what it means to defy God!"  
  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
One Winged Angel.  
  
It was all he could think of.  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
  
----------------------- -----  
  
In a barren, featureless place... Sephiroth found himself alone facing Cloud Strife. He did not look like the monster he was facing earlier on... he was... Cloud Strife.  
  
This is the end. The final of the finale.  
  
  
In a barren, featureless place... Cloud found himself alone facing Sephiroth. He was human, half-naked, but definitely not harmless. He was... the Great Sephiroth.  
  
This is it. Let's end it.  
  
  
Their swords held out... Cloud Strife had this uncommonly motionless expression.  
  
  
Their swords held out... Sephiroth still had his arrogant smirk on his face.  
  
  
They stared at each other across their swords, and then he could concentrate on nothing except launching the most lethal and relentless series of blows he was capable of. He couldn't afford to hold anything back... especially not with an opponent of Cloud Strife's skills.  
  
He refused to think... might have the slightest impulse to hold back.  
  
  
They stared at each other across their swords, and then he could concentrate on nothing except launching the most lethal and relentless series of blows he was capable of. He couldn't afford to hold anything back... especially not with an opponent of Sephiroth's skills.  
  
He tried not to even think... might have the slightest impulse to miss a step.  
  
  
Sephiroth leapt into the air for the final, deadly slash....  
  
  
Cloud leapt into the air for the final, deadly slash....  
  
  
[ FLASH ]  
  
Everything exploded in a brilliant flare of light.  
  
[ FLASH ]

** ***** **

Outside the video, the three figures observed.  
  
Sephiroth glanced at Cloud as he suddenly twitched, then started to whimper little noises of distress. For the first two hours since Bugenhangen had placed the equipment on his head, Cloud was lying there unmoved and if he had not known better, he would have thought the blond was sleeping. However, the next constant four hours, he had been stirring restlessly.  
  
From the controls, he could hear Bugenhagen saying the clip was almost coming to an end, so he knew Cloud was close to learning all the truth.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted abruptly when Cloud cried out and immediately pulled off the equipment. His breathing came in short series and he could see his body was still shaking of the truth. If Barret had seen the look of their enemy's face, he would say....  
  
"I'd say he looks like a person who's just received the shock of his life... if you were thinking he was taken over by Jenova." Sephiroth startled when Vincent spoke for the first time in six hours. Vincent then resumed to stare at the disoriented Cloud, and Bugenhagen was still adjusting the controls. He frowned inwardly and wondered what he should do now.  
  
"I don't understand...." Came a soft voice, and if one was to listen carefully, it was trembling. "I don't understand. I...."  
  
Sephiroth looked up at Cloud, but Bugenhagen beat him by a second. "What you do not understand?"  
  
"Everything! Me and everything!" Cloud shouted. "You said you have all the answers, but you did not answer mine! Why me? Why wasn't Sephiroth? Where was I all these time? What was I doing?!"  
  
"In the Northern Crater and trying to destroy the...." Sephiroth murmured but immediately stopped when Bugenhagen shot a nervous glare at him.   
  
But Cloud heard it. "I know what I have just saw and I do not mean that! Why do I remember the fires and my sorrow? Why do I remember the tortures in that five years? Why do I remember her death? Why do I remember the burning Mako on my skin? Why do I remember the feeling that cut through...?" Cloud trailed off and shook his head. "No, THAT'S not mine."  
  
"Cloud, you have to relax. You are not making any sense," Bugenhagen said.  
  
"I am not making any sense?! What senses will I have after this?!" Cloud buried his head into his hands and murmured something that was so inaudible for even SOLIDERs to hear.  
  
When Sephiroth was going to walk to Cloud, he saw the elderly shaking his head and gestured him to remain where he was. Then he did to Vincent too. Bugenhagen inhaled a deep breath and walked.  
  
"Cloud, listen to me." He held out his hand. "If you keep this up, you will destroy yourself... like you did before."  
  
He saw no reaction, so he dared himself to move the next step and placed his hand very gently. However, apparently, his touch triggered another reaction and it was not a very good one.  
  
Cloud smacked the hand away aggressively and his glowing eyes were narrowed ominously as he glared at everyone. "DON'T TOUCH ME."  
  
Immediately Bugenhagen stepped back and the other two men were already starting to move in front of the elderly as Cloud slowly stood up. No, he was not going insane like before, it was a sort of different insanity.   
  
The appearance of Sephiroth seemed to provoke another emotion, and Cloud flashed a flare of anger.  
  
"'Like I did before'? That was not me... you are lying. Everyone is lying."  
  
To the others, it seemed the history was going to repeat, but to Sephiroth... he saw great fear and confusion.  
  
"Let me down, Bugenhagen."  
  
They blinked. "What?"  
  
"I say, LET ME DOWN. I want to get out of this place," Cloud snarled.  
  
"But...."  
  
"Bugenhagen," Sephiroth said firmly, "Do as he says."  
  
The elderly glanced at the silver-haired man and nodded slowly. He went over to the controls and pushed a few buttons, before the elevator appeared with a soft sound that indicated the door opening.  
  
"Don't follow me if you don't want to get hurt." With that, Cloud ran for the lift and closed the door before Vincent should chase up on him.  
  
Vincent's expressionless face turned to Sephiroth and asked quietly, "What are you thinking?"  
  
  
Sephiroth sighed and wondered was he doing the right thing. He couldn't believe that he was actually doing any of those things.... It wasn't because he felt sorry for the man -- there was something between him and Cloud that refused to be pitied -- but Sephiroth was unable to deny that he felt worried, not about Cloud hurting him or his friends, but worried about the man himself.  
  
The mere thought was faintly nauseating. For an angry instant, Sephiroth wondered if banging his head on a nearby wall would knock some sense back into himself.  
  
"He won't hurt anyone."  
  
"Won't?" Vincent raised an eyebrow, "You are very abnormally confident about that."  
  
Sephiroth sighed again, "I believe I have... Bugenhagen, please shut down that noise. It's annoying me."  
  
"Noise? Is that nois.... Oh. OH DEAR!" Nanaki's grandfather suddenly cried and went pressing frantically to the manual input device. The more he pressed, the more flashes of light all over the room and the more worry he looked.  
  
Sephiroth and Vincent shrugged at the sight and went to his side. "Bugenhagen, what's wrong?"  
  
"Dear me... how could I be so absorbed with Cloud Strife's welfare to overlook such comings!"  
  
"Bugenhagen, please tell us what's wrong!"  
  
"What worse can it be? My machine is getting strange signal... a high concentrated energy is moving towards to us!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
Sephiroth widened his eyes as his senses begun to clear and could instantly identify this foulness in the air, but he knew that what he sensed was no simple odor. It was actually a psychic stench caused by the unholy mental energy that was now penetrating the entire area. He knew it like he knew the back of his palm... it bored into his very flesh and bone.   
  
Even into his soul.  
  
"Damn it!" he cursed to himself. "She is near!"  
  
Much timing.

** ***** **

"THIS is a VERY fascinating work of arts!"  
  
Cid groaned and vaguely replied, "Yes, yes. It is a very fascinating. I got your point, so you don't have to say that bloody sentence twenty-eight times, Zack!"  
  
"But it is!" cried Zack, lifting up Cloud's sword so that the blond pilot was able to see. "Look at it! The workmanship's great, unique in it's own style and rare in it's own capability!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah."  
  
"Think of it. It probably the most powerful weapon I have ever seen... no, it could have been the most powerful in the world!"  
  
"Oh yeah. It could have been Jenova's very own weapon."  
  
Zack blinked, then looked at Cid, and to the sword again. He remained silent before speaking again, "You can be right... it might explain why the sword feel so weird."  
  
"You and your sword maniacs!" Cid threw his hands up in frustration. "That sword can't even kill a cat, Zack!"  
  
"No! You're wrong. You've seen Cloud's using this to kill hundreds of monsters in Bone Village. This sword can kill, but only by the hands of Cloud Strife."  
  
"Oh great then. ONLY Cloud Strife is able to wield this MOST powerful sword in the whole wide world. How lovely."  
  
Zack grinned, "And you want to know what I just know about this sword?"  
  
"No, I don't want to hear anymore of your bloody discoveries."  
  
"This sword is pretty much alive, Cid."  
  
"Alive?! You mean this sword can breath?!"  
  
Zack shook his head. "No, what I mean is this sword had enigmatically made so complex that it is almost alive! Like your ship, you built it so advanced and sophisticated and alive that it operates no man can imagined. Just like this sword."  
  
"Okay... so what's its features if it is THAT great?"  
  
"It can recognize its own owner," Zack said plainly.  
  
"...And?"  
  
"That's all I know. H-hey, wait a minute! I can't do much when it is not activated! Cid, put that spear down!"  
  
"I am to destroy this door down and get the hell out of here."  
  
"Wait! You can't leave now, I still have a lot of things to say!"  
  
Cid began to walk to the door. "Sorry then, I'm a very busy man, spike."  
  
"Awww, come on! Just one more time, after all, that's what you are for!" pleaded the dark-haired SOLIDER.  
  
"That's because you locked us inside this room and no one's in the ship to unlock this damned door!" shouted Cid. "For six idiot hours! Where the hell those idiots gone?!"  
  
"Hehehee...."  
  
Cid scowled, "And what's that 'hehehee' for?!"  
  
"Well, I told them you needed some quiet and peace hours, so I gave them, ALL of them, permission of six hours break."  
  
"YOU DID WHAT?!"  
  
"They should be back in any minutes, don't worry." Zack smiled and patted the pilot's shoulders. However, his hand was painfully smacked away.  
  
"In the name of my ship... I'll be damned if I do not see to your death! YOU ARE DEAD, ZACK!!" raved Cid.  
  
"Arghh...! W-wait, wait! I can explain!!" fled to the another side of the room. Just when he really thought Zack was going to die when an insane Cid was ready to pounce on him, the door suddenly went open and swiftness like a cat, he had already sprinted out of way.  
  
But unfortunately for Cid, he had not expected the door to open, needless to say Zack to escape, so he landed on the floor with a heavy bump.  
  
"Sir?!"  
  
"Nice talkin' to you, Cid. Later!" laughed Zack and disappeared in the next turn.  
  
"Sir! Are you alright?!" his crew went to his side.  
  
"Urghh!! Why don't you guys return next year?!" and a long string of vulgarity words followed.  
  
"Sir? But, Sir! We have a big problem."   
  
"WHAT PROBLEM?!"  
  
The crewman swallowed nervously and said, "Well... right after we r-returned, the ship censor immediately detected strange signals heading towards Canyon Cosmo."  
  
Cid groaned loudly. He stood up as he began to run to his bridge, and murmured. "Today is not my lucky day...."  
  
  
When he entered the bridge, the room was in chaos of flying shouting. Cid frowned immediately when he spotted Zack was already there. But, the look of the current seriousness already in the ship, the captain of the Highwind decided to dismiss his revenge... for the moment.  
  
"Cid! Come over here, and have a look at this." Called Zack aloud.  
  
( Just you wait, Zack! )  
  
As he went to Zack, he looked over to the screen he pointed. A bright red dot was moving toward them, somewhat fast and a warning sign kept flashing on the top right corner of the monitor.  
  
Zack murmured, "And look at the measurements...." He waited for the staff to type some keys and another screen of information popped up. "The size is just 4'ft height and 1'ft width... but the detected energy is...."  
  
"278 percent?! For such a small sized thing?!" Cid widened his eyes in shock. "What the hell is this enemy?!"  
  
Zack narrowed his glowing eyes and from one corner of his eyes, he could see from a pop up window, Sephiroth and the team gathered and running out of the village.  
  
"I don't know... but I know it is not going to be pleasant!"

** ***** **

When Sephiroth saw Zack and Cid coming out of the ship, he knew they were pretty much alert.   
  
Without anything, he said aloud, "It's Jenova. I believe you know the direction, Cid."  
  
The pilot nodded and pointed exactly where Cloud had disappeared. ( Damn ) was the only thing that came first in mind. They ran directly into the Ancient Forest. The sickening sensation was getting stronger and stronger, so he knew they were in the right track and were getting closer.  
  
After a few minutes, when they finally caught sight of a certain spiky blond-haired enemy and they couldn't help but to curse at it. He would wonder how many times he had cursed in this day if he had the time.  
  
At the end of their destination, they saw Jenova wavered unsteadily on her feet as she had stretched her abnormally long left hand to a few inches before Cloud's face.  
  
As if welcoming him.  
  
"Oh shit...."

END.Chapter04  
To Be Continued_

A/N: Ugh. My least favorite chapter so far. It feels so weird... so empty. Anyway, try to enjoy the chapter; I'm still working on the fifth chapter. And guess what, Trauma the Truths. The tension is already there.


	6. 05: trauma the truths

  
Disclaimer: This fiction is used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only and is not meant for sale or profit. All original characters are the creation of the author.

Warning: YAOI, Sephiroth/Cloud..... eventually.

ALTER QUIES  
Chapter 05: trauma the truths...

"Where do you think you're goin'?"

"Out of the way, Barret." Cloud couldn't help but to glare very hard at his friend, or his ex-friend. If it weren't on their friendship's account, he would have already hurt him... or anyone. He had suppressed everything for too long and they were not going to hold any longer... not much longer.

"You sly bastard... you've gone much too far for my liking. And who told you that you could use my name?"

Cloud hissed angrily, he really had no mood to deal with this.

"What? Angry? So, 're you going burn Canyon Cosmo this time and go killing everyone again?"

"It's none of your business," warned Cloud. "Get out of my way, before I am going to hurt you."

"Oh! How kind of you to warn me, and I'd be afraid huh?" Barret growled, "Listen, I don't care a damn about you, or Red's theory, so I am.....!!!"

Without waiting for him to finish his sentence, Cloud had abruptly sent a punch to his abdomen. Barret gasped in wordless sound as he slowly dropped to his knees on the ground, crashing tightly on it. There were nervous gasps as witnesses began to crowd away the so-called dangerous man, when a familiar voiced out among the crowd.

"Barret?!"

All this time, Aeris had been wandering the village and she came out of the Materia shop when she heard noises outside. She had not expecting to see such situation, and by the time, she kneeled down to Barret's side, Barret's pain had gone beyond that he could barely register any of her words. She checked his body, fortunately it would not give any more damage to the body than a serious bruise.

( They can't be trusted. And Aeris is dead! )

Expressionlessly, Cloud regarded the fallen man and the flower girl coldly. "And why should I care a damn about you when everything is a lie?"

Expectedly, the people who had enclosed the area immediately retreated and disappeared as Cloud made his way out of the village. There was no one dared to protest or stands in his way. When he went past the gate, the gatekeeper could only stand as far as he could and nervously watched the blond-haired man disappeared deep into the Ancient Forest.

** ***** **

Cloud wasn't paying any attention to where he was going. All he knew was that he wanted to be as far away from population as possible. Any breasts or monsters blocking at his way would be easily defeated even without his Ultima Sword. He did not care how many of these creatures would come, as long as he angered out all his frustration. However, they weren't even above his average challenge eventually enraged him.

( They can't be trusted. )

( No one is to be trusted. )

He thought it was some tricks set by Sephiroth and Jenova, there was no way the video Bugenhagen showed was real. After all he had suffered, fought and won, was this all he got in return?

A fake reality?

Maybe if he kills Sephiroth again, everything would be back to normal?

'Normal'. He saw himself killing and dismembered Tifa's remains into something so unrecognizable, so horrible, so inhuman; AND he was so delighted, so satisfied!

All were not real!

Cloud growled aloud in another frustration and snapped off a branch that blocked his way. He was so frustrated, that he failed to notice the sudden of the air. That he failed to see the sudden stillness in the usually lively forest. That he failed to recognize the familiar sickening sensations until it spoke to him.

"_Indeed... humans cannot be trusted._"

Cloud startled immediately and held his head up only to find a little girl, standing a few meters away from him. She was small, with bare, skinny legs under a white dress and messy hair hung beyond her shoulders. It was her hair that abnormally the most as they seemed to glow transparently. She was almost like every ordinary girl in Canyon Cosmo, but the look of ancient coldness in her horrifying dark eyes, betrayed all. Her smile sent nothing but shivers of fear.

He took a few moments before finding his voice again.

"Jenova."

Hearing her name, she grinned in delight. "_My child... look at how much you have grown. I could sense... myself... in you, child._"

"What do you want?" Cloud eyed at her warily.

"_What do I want?_" she inquired amusingly. "_I want to be with you again, my lovable child. As every mother wishes to be with her son! Now, you are back... you look so much... different than before! You have changed... of course for the better._"

He hissed, "What the hell are you talking?"

"_I am talking about how long you have been away from me._" Her childish voice dropped and saddened. "_You were always there besides me in past... I was so lonely... I had missed those days badly... but now, it is over. Now, you are back. It's over...._"

"Why me?"

"_Why not Sephiroth, you meant to ask._"

Cloud glared at her. "Don't read my mind."

She giggled childishly, "_Why... I didn't realize after a year, you still missed him...._"

"...Missed?"

A laugh. "_Oh yes. Oh yes. How can I forget... you are NOT 'him', yet... you ARE 'him'. How ionic that she uses... knowing the risks she would have. Such suicide and foolish acts that bring so much favors to me! But..._"

Her eyes turned back to him, and all of a sudden, he felt so naked.

"_Why trust humans? After all they did to you...._

"_I know... because I have been watching you since you have arrived. I saw how they treated you, my child. You shouldn't... be here._

"_But you are still here, because of her meddling._"

She paused and looked at Cloud. "_Hm? You don't understand?_" Giggled again. "_I'm surprised... she haven't tell you anything.... Another foolish act._

"_No... I am not reading your mind... they just send to me willingly. Your thoughts, your emotions... and your memories.... Yes, your memories are... very interesting._

"_So interesting that I wishes to rake your mind upside down now!_"

Cloud remained unmoved, but glared at her.

"_Don't be. Don't be afraid me... I'm your mother. The one who could love you wholly...._" She held her hand, and before he knew it, her short arm stretched elastically long and was already just a few inches away from his face.

"_I can be the mother you always wanted...._"

Cloud winced as memories threatened to surface and shook it away. This was not the time.

"_Don't bury it away... you are free from it now...._

"_Come... come with me...I need you. You need me. WE need each other...._"

Then... she no longer was speaking.

_Comeeeeeee...._

All sounds faded to a distant babble as Cloud struggled to stay awake and focus. However, it was useless under her mental assault... it was much subtle... a soft, coaxing voice that he couldn't make out or ignore.... and as if her last words triggered something, all of a sudden he felt a wave of dizziness, threatening him to drown into the bottomless nauseous abyss of delirium.

_You know I loveeeeeee you...._

They were not much about words, but rather about thoughts. Give up humanity and she would open the path of great powers, dominions... and God. Thoughts that had come whispering more sinister and seductive promises... and threatens.

Threaten? He felt threatened? Why? What was it that gave her something to threaten him this badly?

It was a small part he did not understand....

( But you have underestimated me, Jenova. )

_WHAT?_

If he were any younger, he knew he would not stand a chance, even to the weakest manipulative assault from her. He would have already jumped at the offer, probably without hesitation, or resistance. It would have been so easy....

Jenova screeched when Cloud had twisted her hand and tore it apart. She retreated slightly and grabbed her damaged bloody arm as she hissed angrily at Cloud.

_YOU! How dare you...!!_

As Cloud tossed her severed hand casually to the ground, he slowly smiled but his eyes was glowing with a cool, intense stare of concentration. Like the stare of a hunter watching for the slightest sign of weakness in its prey. Glint of excitement seemed to be also in his eyes as he made his way to her and warmed up his muscles.

"The timing is perfect... let's test what I have learnt from Tifa so far... shall we?"

_You will regret...._

"No, I won't. You are all the 'punch bag' I needed."

_...?_

"I'm surprised. Thought you could read my mind...?"

......

"Then let me tell you, Jenova." Immediately after he finished his sentence, he wasted no time as he burst into speed and connected his full force on the innocent looking girl. Came quickly his second fist, but were unfortunately blocked and recovered in time to counter his attack back. His reflexives were working even faster than the wheels in his mind, before she could deliver her offensive, Cloud sprung away but continued to work his way on her.

"Because I am frustrated and bored, and you are the one able to let out my anger."

He smirked as he mentally voted a point for himself when she thought she had evaded him by protecting with her arms but instead got burnt immensely. One new skill he learnt from Tifa, that was to make use of the materias slotted in his armor and cast it to his hand. That way, even the enemies had dodged his attacks, damages from magic could replace the disadvantage; it was killing two birds with one stone.

He finished casting Fire3 and withdrawn. Using his body weight to send her flying into the trees, several trees fell upon her landing. She gasped, as Cloud did not give her time to recover from the previous threat, in fact her opponent hardly allowed her to get back and counter attacked.

This carnation of Jenova was not anything too tough, but she was not weak as well. He knew he was using almost all his strength to defeat her, he knew it was not necessary to do so and he knew it was somewhat reckless. A tiny prickling feeling he had sensed and knew Sephiroth and the group was not far from him. After Jenova, he had them to handle.

It was as if he did not care at all.

He pinned Jenova to a tree and senselessly sending fists to her. The tree shook violently and cracked as if responding to every of his forces applied. The tree itself would have broke and fell if it was any longer.

_THAT'S IT!!_

Her scream pieced his mind but he heeded nothing and constantly punching his strength to her. All of a sudden, Jenova's body melted and Cloud's fist plunged in impact with the tree's strong bark.

"What the...?!"

The liquid of what was left of Jenova, poisoning everything it touched as it spilled down the tree. The tree immediately darkened with her acid blood. He frowned, no doubt it was her blood; he could sense her cells.

( There was something slightly... strange about it.... )

Cloud forced to calm the adrenaline in him that threatened to overwhelm him. Instead he concentrated at the liquid for a long moment, then hesitantly reached out to touch it.

He hastily snatched his hand back and absently wiped it on his pants. His disorientation look was replaced with disbelief and dread when suddenly he recalled something. It seemed that that half-forgotten memory had triggered a lock to his questions and everything seemed to now fell into place for Cloud.

Back then, it didn't seem to be very important and he did not take it seriously. Now, everything came back so suddenly that he realized how important it was. This was probably the key to everything.

He turned around and looked blankly at the silver, muscular man standing a few yards away. He wasn't sure exactly what he was looking for, as preposterous as it might sound, but the longer he watched Sephiroth, the more convinced Cloud was right on that newly awakened memory.

_Looks like I had been too optimistic about your arrival, son. And do not think you can get this away, for I will return!_

Cloud took a deep, shuddering breath.

Until her presence was totally gone, he relaxed and dropped to the ground. He leaned on a tree heavily. He came to realize that he relied too much on his sword that he was now so exhausted even for that ten minutes fight. He silently swore that he would learn hand-to-hand combat once he got himself out of this situation.

However, today was exceptional... at least he had his frustration out. Besides, the workout seemed to had cleaned off an imaginary haze in his head, he was able to think more clearly and calmly. It was as if the previous days, shadows were clouding his thoughts and his rational, that it made him greatly uneasy.

Cloud eyed over the group standing a few distances beside him. The company was now obviously confused but Sephiroth was the first to recover.

While Cloud said nothing about his approach, Sephiroth lowered his eyes and stared at him coldly. They held their stares for a few moments, before Cloud finally heaved a sigh and looked away dully.

"I remembered..." he murmured. "Some time ago, not so long, Nanaki once told me how vast and irregular this universe behaves. It is so unpredictable that even Cetras cannot explain the unexpected, example... this."

Sephiroth remained unmoved.

While the group behind him caught his words, they looked at RedXIII questionably and the breast could only shake his head. "I told you? But I have a good memory and I do believe we have not meet before, lest to tell you about this knowledge."

The blond remained very silent for a long moment before he stood up slowly.

"Of course you have not meet me before." Raking his hair with his hand, he sighed. "Well then, shall we be going? Bugenhagen should be worry about us by now."

"W-what?"

Cloud vaguely waved his hand and said, "Hey, don't worry. I think I'm not the old Cloud Strife you know, so I'm not going to kill anyone of you."

"You think?!"

He shrugged, "My assumptions isn't correct all the time, but at least I wouldn't go around and kill everyone."

Cid snarled, "W-wait a minute! You are going back the village?"

"Then? Where am I supposed to go? To Jenova?"

Cid's jaw dropped and looked at Cloud speechlessly.

"Just kiddin', I'd rather be dead than to be in her arms." He shrugged again. "Besides, are we going to camp here all day if you don't let me go through? And if I might add, I am in a more disadvantage situation than to you. I do not have my sword, and I already have you guys AND Great Sephiroth ready to kill me. I'll lose anyway."

To say the group was shock, it was an understatement. The way Cloud Strife suddenly was acting oh-so-friendly to them and seeing him in a way they would not even imagine he would be, the sun was going to set at the east! It was as if a spirit had possessed Cloud Strife's body. He must be up to something. On the other hand, what he had said was making a lot of senses, so they couldn't say anything.

RedXIII blinked his shock out and tilted his head. "He's quite right, though."

Yuffie shook her head while stammering her words, "S-so... you've remembered?"

"No." Cloud began walking and said plainly, "In the first place, there wasn't a thing to forget."

** ***** **

Bugenhagen was amused when he saw the company returned unscathed and all the anger in Cloud Strife seemed to have dispersed. In fact, he was more willing to return back than getting away like before. Meanwhile, the group was obviously showing uncertainly towards their hated enemy.

If things were to be continued, they might discover some unfound theories that never before mention in history. Now that they were back in his room again....

"So you are saying, 'I' had gone mad three years ago and started killing the people in Nibelheim. Two years later, 'I' reappeared and summoned the Meteor." Cloud stated.

( How surprisingly calm he is.... ) Bugenhagen shook off his thoughts and nodded, "Generally."

The blond frowned thoughtfully ( ...Instead of eight years, it was just three years.... Instead of Sephiroth, it was I... Cloud Strife. )

"There's a few things I do not understand." Cloud asked, "How... or rather, why did I go insane that time?"

That prompted everyone's attention. They looked around with no slight idea for his questions. However, Cloud did not miss the strange exchange between Sephiroth and Zack.

Bugenhagen shook his head. "No one knew exactly what had happened to you."

Cloud nodded slowly. ( Another mystery still not yet solved, nevertheless there is still something going on between.... No, THEY must have known. )

"Then, I guess you better explain for yourself, for we wish to know what is going on. If you don't mind."

The blond glanced up to find everyone's suspicious stare at him. He breathed slightly and crossed his arms. "Not that I'm blaming you all for thinking that.... Anyway, I know it may sounds weird for everyone, but for my story, it was not I that went insanity."

Cloud paused for a while and continued, "It was Sephiroth."

Zack blinked. "Yeah, it's weird and I don't understand."

The silver-haired man said nothing about it.

Barret groaned, "I can't believe I am sitting and listening to his lies here...."

"Barret...." said Aeris.

Cloud turned solemnly. "In MY story," he pointed to Sephiroth. "He discovered some things about Jenova and went insane during the incident of Nibelheim. It was Sephiroth who burned Nibelheim. It was Sephiroth was tried to become God and nearly destroyed the world. Basically, everything is the same... except what you know about me, is what I know about Sephiroth in my story. Hmm... how do I explain this... Sephiroth hate me, because of what 'I' did. On the other hand, I hate Sephiroth, because of what 'he' did... I think."

"Hold! Hold on!" shouted Cid and held out his hand. "You're makin' no sense!"

Vincent seemed to have caught his message and said quietly, "You were saying as if you came from another world."

"I think I am."

"You what?!" cried Cid and Barret.

"You are talking about the Parallel Planes, are you not?" asked the elderly, with a hint of amusement and curiosity.

Cloud nodded. "'Parallel Universes' or 'Parallel Worlds', they're the same."

"...Parallel worlds?" the silver-haired man raising an eyebrow at Bugenhagen.

"The parallel world notion." Bugenhagen explained, "It is like a Planet separated from Planet because it's moving around a different time branch or it's been pumped through some weird little dimensional interface. It is Planet, except for some minor changes. For your information, there could be a few parallel universes. For example, you may be an intelligent person in this world, but in another parallel world, you can be the world's dumbest person. In the second parallel world, you may be the ruler of the world and the list of possibility goes on."

He paused to find a few puzzled frowns and tried to simplify his theory. "What I am trying to say is the hypothesis being that the world we perceive is only one aspect of it. In a very realistic sense, there is the physical world, there is the mental world, there is the emotional world, and they are different layers of reality that we experience every day and they're all run together."

"And I just take this further, saying that there are more layers, that there is more distinction between them, and that moving from one to another is a more traumatic event."

Barret grumbled, "Can explain in simple words?"

Cloud turned to Barret, "What he means is, there are many worlds running under different dimensions. And to cross these worlds, is something almost impossible."

Bugenhagen then nodded, greatly appreciating. "In some books, they believed none should known of one another's existence. The worlds are parallel, are somewhat connected and would interrupt each other's flows greatly if such event occurs."

"...So, if Cloud Strife and you are speaking the truth -- I mean, IF -- then, his appearance here is interrupting the Planet's flow?" Cid asked.

"Yes. However, the theory has not yet proven, we can never be certain about it."

"Will it damage the planet?" Aeris asked.

The elderly shrugged his shoulder, "I'm sorry child, but I can't really help much. This, have never happened in the written history. With the Planet's silence I would require more time to solve this puzzle. We do not know why he is even here and how he is here."

"But!" Yuffie cried out, "How do we know for sure, he's speakin' the truth? I mean, you'd said it, it is impossible for such things to happen."

"Besides, how do we know you are from another world?" asked Cid.

"Parallel world," Cloud corrected. "There's a difference between 'another world' and 'parallel world'. That crisis from the sky came from another world in the very same universe of yours, while I am originated from this planet but of a parallel universe. Otherwise, it is an accurate assessment."

"Fine, I got your point. So, your proof?"

The young man blinked and merely shrugged. "Other than believing my words, I guess there's nothing I can proved I am not from this universe."

"How convenient...."

Bugenhagen thought for a while and suggested, "Actually we can get him to Midgar to extract his memories to see whether he's lying or not. Didn't Rufus mention that experiment is a success?"

Cloud raised his eyebrow, "Extract my... memories?"

"Yes. ShinRa have been working on that quite some time... don't you know? Or rather, in your world."

"Probably the technologies aren't as advance as compared to here."

"Is it? Pretty fascinating...." laughed Bugenhagen.

Barret rolled his eyes exhaustingly and muttered, "I can't believe we are getting cozy with him...."

"Hey, it isn't a bad thing," Zack grinned. "It's better to have more friends than enemies."

"How typical of you, Zack. How can you trust him so easily?!"

The dark-haired SOLIDER blinked, "I don't know. I just trust him, maybe it's the SOLDIER's uniform thing?"

The dark-haired SOLIDER was totally oblivious to Cloud as he flinched at his last sentence and stared at Zack thoughtfully. It was not long when he heard Barret's mumblings and in the blond's mind, something was decided.

"Anyway," Bugenhagen suddenly said. "It's pretty late, why don't you all go grab some food and have a good rest. All questions or anything, we can discuss it tomorrow."

Cloud glanced towards the windows and found the sun had indeed set and the night was slowly overtaking the world. It was strange to find the same sunset while everything around him was not the same. He heaved a sigh and relaxed against the couch.

It had been really a very long day.

** ***** **

"Yeah, I'm sorry things have to go this way. But don't worry, he's really under our control though he may looks a bit carefree. No, I mean he won't go around attacking people. He's really alright." Zack struggled to explain, "Besides, it's only for tonight."

The shopkeeper shrugged nervously, slightly unbelieving his words but if it was his and the general's words, he guessed he could trust them. He then nodded absent-mindedly.

"Y-yeah, no problem. As long as he's staying quietly, its s-should be fine... I think."

Zack sighed and looked back at Sephiroth, "I guess now left the problem of used to it or not, otherwise they should be fine."

The silver-haired nodded. It wasn't easy for the commoners to trust Cloud like they did, but of course, it was expected. They were just ordinary people with ordinary lives; they were untrained and helpless against skilled soldiers. Completely different from them, with skills and weapons they could defend themselves. How could they stand a chance when there was such dangerous guy wandering around the village so openly?

They made a slight nod to the owner before exiting the last shop. Now that everyone was vaguely aware of Cloud's condition, there should not be any panic caused in the village. However, the tension was already there.

( Things have been going very strange and opposite, anyway. )

"Where's Cloud?" Zack suddenly asked.

Sephiroth shrugged and started glancing around when they heard Yuffie's coming.

"Actually he just headed for the Highwind."

Eyebrows raised. "Highwind?"

"Yeah," Yuffie nodded and jerked her finger to a particular shop. "Came out from that shop with a bag of something and headed straight to the Highwind."

"That shop...?" Zack stared at the shop she was pointing and blinked, while the other man remained indifferent. He rubbed against the back of his head and wondered. "Shopping for new clothes, perhaps?"

Sephiroth rolled his eyes.

** ***** **

The cloudless night sky greeted him, and his eyes welcomed the calming sight of the sky. Never before had it seemed so calm and peaceful, yet so alien at the same time. It was the sky of another world, and though it was so much like his own world, it wasn't, and looking at the twinkling stars made him realized that fact. He wouldn't be going home, no matter how much he wanted to.

Away from the heavens, the peaceful world was enshrouded in the splendor of the dark night. Creatures of the night, owls and crickets of such, sounded throughout the vicinity, adding to the natural setting with their calls. Their sounds were far more calming than the most silent silence, and Cloud stepped further into the winds, allowing the night to surround him entirely.

He wondered why upon discovering that barely noticeable different cells from Jenova would bring up something he thought he had forgotten? Of all things, it somehow had triggered Nanaki's words.

Of course it was the one from his world.

That time, the group was having their first reunion gathering at Cosmo Canyon after a few months from that fearful day. Things were pretty settled down and Tifa thought it would better to meet up everyone again and it got everyone rather excited.

Cloud inwardly smiled at the memories. The unexpected appearance of the Turks had surprised everyone, especially Barret, and it had made the scene havoc. However, what really surprised everyone was that when everyone was about to return back their rooms, they actually saw Barret and Reno -- both drunk -- dropping dead on the table together.

Both parties completely had no idea about it the next day.

[ FLASH ]

"Alternate reality?"

Nanaki nodded. "Yeah, I am still working on it. It seems that the provided concepts are too limited to be proven and some people do not truly believe it."

It seemed Yuffie was quite interested in the topic, but Cloud did not care and lie his back on the ground, watching the stars blinking in and out. Everything was so peaceful. Every unwelcome thought left him, every trouble drifted away like water down a river until it was too distant to be recognized. As he enjoyed deeper into the temporary high, the harmless intoxication of natural peace that he could barely focus on their conversation.

Yuffie said, "You know, Wutai also had this legend. My grandma used to tell this to me, she said that if you ever gone into the inner world of the world, you are able to find a gate that could take you to another world."

"'Inner world of the world'?"

"Is it the Lifestream?"

"Sounds possible... but Cloud and I been into the Lifestream, and nothing happened." Tifa shrugged.

The red beast tilted his head thoughtfully. "Maybe being in the Lifestream is still not enough? Maybe... it needs some sort of requirements to enable us to see the gate? Who knows, that time the Lifestream was not in its usual behavior especially with Sephiroth, Jenova and Hojo's meddling."

"You seemed to think a lot."

Nanaki chuckled softly. "Actually it was my grandpa who wanted this solved this theory, I'm just merely trying to continue his work. Besides, I'm interested in for myself."

"So... what have you found out about?"

"Not much. It's a lot harder than you think."

[ FLASH ]

His train of thoughts stopped as he began to sense a new presence. He straightened up, tilting his head and stared at the silver-haired man dully.

"What do you want?"

"Rufus wants to meet you," the other man's reply.

Cloud's eyes closed for a moment and said, "To... extract my memories, huh?"

Sephiroth gave him a mere stare. "Partly."

Cloud shrugged and stared at his new outfit instead. Dominantly white collar and sleeveless shirt with violet-color strip wove near it edges, and two silver-gilt belts would jangle slightly as he moved, hung loosely around his black jeans. He still wore his wristbands. The new outfit looked nice on him, but as the same time, he looked strange.

It wasn't uncomfortable. In fact the material was soft and suitable for people like him who was constantly fighting. He was just... unused to it.

[ FLASH ]

( Zack.... )

Cloud used all his energy to crawl next to the motionless Zack. It was impossible, right? Zack was a SOLIDER, second rank to where the Great Sephiroth was. He couldn't just die here, after all they promised. Words came out from his mouth were so unfamiliar and sore, his voice did not sound exactly like it was used to be. As if he had not been talking for many, many years, he wondered would he still remember the language? However, at this moment, he cared not. He continued to call out his friend's name.

"...Z-Zack... Mi...."

( Midgar is just beyond! Zack! )

Dark clouds were forming, and soon, as Cloud tried to wake his only friend up, it let go. Pouring and attempting to wash away every tear and blood... but the tears and blood seemed to can't stop flowing out on the soil.

It would never stop...

"...ack... Z-Zack...."

They still had many things to do! They were still young! Mercenaries! He had said that time: they were going for everything. The boring stuffs, the dangerous stuffs, anything for money! With Zack's excellence skills, they could be rich easily. They!

_So, Cloud. What are YOU gonna do?_

( Please...!! )

He? Do? He was not going to do anything! As long they were together, he didn't mind doing any job! Even he was to work for Zack! He owned him his life!

_We're friends, right?_

"Don't... die... Zack.... You've just... saved...."

He was... his only friend....

( PLEASE!!! )

"S-should... be.... Z-Zack, should have...."

He could feel his mind shattering apart slowly and he could not think anymore. The pain in his heart was pulling everything down. Reality was so cruel and cold. Zack was not going to respond anymore. Not ever again. He was gone forever. And, he was alone, again. He lowered his head until he touched something cold and hard.

Bluster Sword.

[ FLASH ]

When Zack had mentioned about his attire that evening, he realized his long dead friend had been living well and alive in this dimension. Which means, he did not need that attire anymore. Somewhere in his heart, his uniform... Zack's uniform was something to represent his friend's existence.

That time, he used to think he was living in Zack's life because he did not want to admit Zack was dead. After all, if it were not for Zack, he would have been long dead. He owned Zack, and Zack did not deserve that kind of death.

( You know what, Zack? I should be the one to die... instead of you. )

Even if it meant creating a lie.

However, Sephiroth destroyed his illusory world. He wanted to give up the world when the truth had overwhelmed him. If not for Tifa's help, he would have left to wither in Lifestream and he would not realized that Zack had always wanted him to be alive.

He did not want to forget Zack, which was why he had continued to wear his uniform even after the Sephiroth's incident.

Thinking back at Bugenhagen's document, here, Zack was alive because Sephiroth was there. Even he was seriously injured, but he still had enough strength left to save Zack and escaped from Hojo's clutches. Aeris was not even dead... Sephiroth made it just in time to prevent her from slipping away into the Lifestream.

He then wondered: Would things be better if it was Cloud who went insane instead of Sephiroth?

Of course it would be better. This parallel world was a very good example and he understood why things would have been better with the silver-hair man. In the very beginning, Sephiroth was someone with both physically and mentally trained to survive in such circumstances. That famous general had gone through wars and won them with frightening strength and skills.

But he? Who was he? He was just another ordinary trooper that served not even directed under Sephiroth himself. That time, it was only pure coincidence that ShinRa wanted someone from Nibelhiem to act as a backup, in case they had some problems with the tour guide.

He shook his head slightly and concentrated in reality. He glanced at Sephiroth without turning to him and wondered what he was thinking. In this long awkward silence, the general had no intention to leave this place, just staring somewhere. He wondered why he remained here when he was the one who tried to destroy the world... well, not exactly him. The other Cloud from this world.

However, he still had every reason to hate Cloud. On the other hand, he still hated Sephiroth, but it was not as much as before. That Sephiroth was already dead for a year and this Sephiroth was not exactly the same as the one he had faced before. It was completely different.

Perhaps Sephiroth would feel like this when he was not insane.

Cloud broke the silence at last. "There's something I wanted to ask... how did Rufus survived?"

It was the least question Sephiroth would have expected, noticing from the looks of his, Cloud thought.

"You mean he is dead in your world?"

"Sort of. From what I heard from Reeve, he died in his office when Diamond WEAPON blasted that level down." Cloud explained calmly.

Sephiroth frowned deeply before answering. "Tseng gave up his life protecting the President."

"Tseng? I see...." Cloud trailed off and when he saw the look on Sephiroth, he continued. "Well, you see, Tseng did die. But he died a bit early in the Ancient Temple while trying to revive the Black materia."

"...You mean, I killed him?"

Cloud shook his head slightly. "Not you. It's Sephiroth from my world... it would also be the Cloud from your world, if such have happened."

"You know Zack has complete trust in you," Sephiroth said. "Surprisingly."

"Sounds exactly like him," The blond nodded as he caught a familiar dark figure walking the gate to greet two strangers. He watched the two strangers with a strange interest while Zack seemed to be doing the explaining. Those strangers... they were wearing a long black coat-like-uniform and carried weapons with them. They were similar to the ShinRa soldiers, and he wondered was it another department like the Turks?

"Who are they?" Cloud asked Sephiroth while gesturing to them.

Sephiroth walked to him and looked at them for a while. He narrowed his eyes slightly. "They are from EX, a new organization formed a few months ago after Jenova's reappearance."

"Oh... EX.... What do they do? Like ShinRa?"

The silver-haired man shook his head. "Their organization is small compared to ShinRa, but I can't deny their group are growing... at an abnormal speed. They mainly focus on protecting the villages and towns from Jenova's attacks, and thus earned their current reputation in such a short time. Looks like they know something had happened here...."

"You don't look like you approve their existence."

Sephiroth cast him a cold stare. "They have an incredible accuracy for their information on Jenova, particularly. I don't know how they have those sources of information before Jenova's creatures could strike a place, but it is suspicious enough. They might even know you are here."

Cloud registered this new information into his head and continued to observe the strangers. Sephiroth straightened up and began to head out, which Cloud made no knowledge of. Finally the two strangers were ready to leave. They bowed respectably to Zack and turned to leave Cosmo Canyon immediately. As they went past Highwind, Cloud watched. They suddenly looked up the ship and to him.

( ...Yeah, they know I'm here alright. )

Their stares stayed for a few moments before resuming on their path and disappeared into the dark canyon.

"You know...." Sephiroth suddenly said as he stood just at the doorway. "I think we should put aside our prejudgment against each other for the moment. For everyone's sake."

Cloud blinked and turned to stared at Sephiroth surprisingly. Had he heard what he had just heard from the Great Sephiroth? To actually heard from him and had him to approach Cloud first to make a peace agreement, was something he never would imagine even with a sane Sephiroth. Or was it this world's Sephiroth was completely different from his world's? It wasn't impossible, considered this was parallel universe.

Perhaps it would be the same reason he was not insane by Jenova's influence... but how did it happen to fall on Cloud instead? He still did not know.

"Sure. I have no problem with that," Cloud said with a shrug.

( Well, I could ask him... or Zack about this anytime later. They are the ones who had directly deal with my counter part... like I did. )

END.Chapter05  
To Be Continue_

A/N: Forgot to say this, last chapter, during re-told of Sephiroth's story, it was mentioned that Cloud had literally chopped down poor young Tifa.... *looks away* Sorry to fans of Tifa, I do not hate her that much, but her death is pretty essential... though the reasons would not be reveal until MUCH later. Hmm... am I making too much suspension?? Oh well, one hint: "The more you gain, the more you will lose". OK, go figure yourself. *whistles* Besides, it would be inappropriate to have her when this story is shounen-ai!!!   
  
Yeah, yeah. Cloud have a new attire. XD Like I said, Cloud still pretty haunted by his past, wearing that dark-haired SOLIDER's uniform reminded him so much his death. In fact, I will be also concentrating a lot on Cloud's untold past. ^^ Don't worry, Sephiroth's scenes will be increasing (though slowly) as the story progress, mainly because he's Sephiroth. In another words, I hate OOC stuffs!!!  
  
Finally, special thanks to those still supporting this story *bowing gratefully*: RavensHaelo(grammer... I still fixing that hahaha... *flees*), Dee-whY-Cee-aRe(thanks ^_^), Ayu58, Winged(I'm glad you like it), Chihiro(hahaa, you are stressing me! Nevertheless, I will try my very best to make my story live up to your expectations) and Duchess of Darkness('Cloud-demonlish-ness' sounds pretty cool. Hahaha. But you probably won't expecting more of it until VERY MUCH LATER; this story is more about giving Sephiroth a second chance. Opps, plots leaking out!). Thanks everyone.


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